I love sports. I am by no means a sports follower of any kind, but I enjoy watching *most* sporting events (#1 exclusion being baseball), inspirational sports movies, and I even get choked up watching the Amazing Race. More recently, I got all teary-eyed during the Olympics.
It's about the spirit of competition, the challenge, and the feeling of accomplishment after so much sacrifice. It's all because of the love of the game. I know this feeling so well after playing competitive sports in high school. At the time, it was a top priority in my life. I lived and breathed it. My team was my special family that shared with me the need to succeed.
It is because of all this that I say that I'm a competitive person... at least I thought I was. Until now, people with whom I played would vouch for that. I even get all riled up during baby shower games like Guess that Baby Food. "I should have KNOWN that one! DAMN IT!"
However, I recently joined a basketball league for women and am finding that my philosophy on competition is changing. I honestly don't care all that much whether we win or lose so long as we put in a good effort -- who says that??? No WINNER would say that. Losing is okay because I put in 100%? Please...
What's disturbing is that I see that my teammates and players on the other team have that mentality. I'm guessing that most players on my team and on other teams are 25 and under and perhaps closer to their competition days. Losing is not an option. Well, not that I'm old, but I've had my share of losses, and well, you kinda get used them. Nobody likes to lose, but hey, they're bound to happen.
I've also noticed that I've become slow compared to my younger counterparts. I thought that I was just out of shape, but after a couple of games, I would hope that my speed would come back to me. It hasn't.
Am observing myself become old.
