It's a well-known fact that sport has many benefits for the body, both physical and moral. Indeed, regular physical activity is recommended to feel better in one's body and avoid health problems of all kinds. But there's another, lesser-known benefit to sport: it's a highly effective way of integrating into society, especially for young people.
The practice of sport, whether collective or individual, is first and foremost an opportunity to meet other people. So, from this point of view, a person who is shy or reluctant to approach others will have a superb opportunity to make new encounters. In fact, when you practice a sport on a regular basis, you spend a lot of time with other people, experiencing different emotions with your team- mates, and building strong bonds of friendship with them.
In the same idea, sport can also bring together people from totally different backgrounds and social environments. So, thanks to sport, young people will have the opportunity to meet other people they wouldn't have had the chance to meet at school or with their everyday friends. Thanks to this diversity, these young people will become more open-minded, and this open-mindedness is extremely important for a better understanding of society. Sport is also very important for building friendships with teammates and people who practice the same sport. After all, you spend a lot of time together, forming friendships...
As we said before, we know that sport is extremely important for our health and for achieving a better mental balance in everyday life. And it is good to keep in mind that, if we feel good in life, we're more inclined to talk to other people, to discover our environment. So, from that point of view, sport is an important and very positive way of integrating into society.
We also should highlight the fact that sport teaches very important values for the future life of young people. Sport teaches solidarity, mutual aid, a taste for effort, respect for one's opponent... So many
things that are important to understand and keep in mind for tomorrow's professional and personal life.
Beyond this social integration, under certain conditions, sport is a good way of understanding the world around us and the challenges we face.
For example, in the context of outdoor activities, sporting activities can be an effective way of raising young people's awareness of the need to protect these natural areas. For example, trail running or mountain biking can help them realize how fragile mountain areas are, and how important it is to protect them from climate change and its catastrophic impact on flora and fauna. This awareness is both beneficial and important, as it is necessary for young people to understand the challenges facing society today, and in particular those related to protecting nature.
That’s why we cannot deny the link between the practice of a sport and the integration in a society.
Arthur Berchet
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