For as long as I can remember, sports and I have been like oil and water — a bit weary of each other and never too keen to mix. However, in the past year I’ve learned that sports can not only be a lot of fun, but are also a great training ground for important life lessons. 

When I think back to why sports and I got off on the wrong foot, it comes back to having many false assumptions — commonly held by society — about what sports are and, more importantly, who can be a part of the sports world. 

For a long time, I thought that to be a part of the sports world, you had to play a game and be good at it. I wasn’t, and, to some extent, am still not good at either of those things. 

It wasn’t until my YouTube recommendations started suggesting tennis post-match player interviews that I changed my mind. I have always loved analyzing the human part of any situation and listening to other people speak about what they’ve learnt from life experiences. 

And from what I could hear and see, tennis has a lot to analyze. 

When it comes to the gameplay itself, there is endless room to think about the history between two players, what strokes were used at which time and who has the momentum at a given moment. 

One can break down the statistics of each player’s game and really get into the mathematical side of things. Then, there is the human side of the game, such as how pressure, loss, wins and more are handled.

This past week, I’ve been avidly watching the Australian Open, one of the four major tennis championships of the year. I now understand why people mark down the dates for major tournaments and stay up at odd hours to cheer on their favorite athlete. The thrill, excitement and genuine joy that can come from spectating sport is completely unmatched. 

Along with the roller coaster ride that watching tennis can be, I’m surprised at how many life lessons can be learned from sport. 

For one, I’ve learned that it’s all about the journey. 

Most tennis matches are played in a best-of-three sets format. So a tennis game can be won in many different ways. For example, a player can win in two quick sets or battle it out for much longer if the sets are closer because both players are matched in skill. 

Seeing how dynamic a tennis match can be and how everything can change in just a few strokes has taught me how important it is to remember that every challenge in life is an adventure. In that adventure, there will always be ups and downs, and sometimes the difficult parts are temporary, like when a player loses a set but comes back to win the match. 

Other times, the challenges we face may be longer, like when a player loses a match at a Grand Slam and is eliminated. But it’s those moments of defeat that call for reflection and re-direction that often make players stronger. The same can be said for us in life.

Another lesson I’ve learned is that it’s not over until it’s over. 

It’s amazing to watch how some tennis players will fight for every point, no matter how their chances of winning a match look. Whether they have to run all the way from the end of the court to the net for their next shot or summon the last of their strength in a long rally, they keep going. And even when it looks like they’ve won the point, they don’t lose form, because it’s not over until it’s over. 

I think that “never give up on yourself” mindset is one that can greatly help students, especially during the middle and end of a semester. By that time, we are knee deep in assignments, swimming in exams, and at times, might feel like we’ve lost. 

My adventure into the sports world has taught me that sports can be whatever you want  them to be. While, of course, they involve the actual game, they are also about analyzing, cheering, spectating and anything else that connects you to the world of sports. 

Turns out, sports are a lot of fun and have some important life lessons thrown into them. 

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This op-ed was written by a University of Saskatchewan undergraduate student and reflects the views and opinions of the writer. If you would like to write a reply, please email opinions@thesheaf.com. Vaidehee Lanke is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying bioinformatics and is the Opinions Editor at The Sheaf Publishing Society. 

Photos: As Credited