Family sports events at Christmas can make future stars
Kenya's Sharleen Sembel (left) and Mercy Iminza celebrate a point against Burundi during their CAVB Zone V Beach Volleyball qualifiers at Pride Inn Paradise hotel in Mombasa on December 21, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The enduring memory is of me and my late uncles. As the only nephew then, I had a lot of options as to whom and where to visit and spend my Christmas.
- Beyond my visit and enjoyment, are the foundational basics of sports I received.
Like most people, I have beautiful memories of the Christmas season. The feeling it has always brings a holiday mood, relaxed and friendly atmosphere and of course plenty of food and entertainment in most places.
The enduring memory is of me and my late uncles. As the only nephew then, I had a lot of options as to whom and where to visit and spend my Christmas.
Beyond my visit and enjoyment, are the foundational basics of sports I received.
The activities the adults chose to keep me preoccupied with were predominantly sports related.
Having a place to play basketball, riding bicycles, swimming and football, all contributed to development of skills as an athlete but most importantly for me, an enduring passion for sports.
The camping and treks under the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) developed in me a liking of the outdoors and later in life, a hiking culture.
The endless hours of board games, especially scrabble and chess, still play critical elements of my social engagement.
I didn’t know that the scoring and updating of the best score is what I would later learn to be a common practice in sports of recording personal best (PB) standards.
As people engage in different aspects of celebration and activities over this Christmas period, there is a great opportunity for the seed of sports to be planted amongst the youngsters.
What is probably considered children’s play can be a great motivation to children. The striving to just be the best in the family can be a start to a great sports career.
Sports at family level is for joy, entertainment and perhaps a certain element of bonding. The action of activity by itself provides fitness and fundamental development of basic skills which help greatly once they take up specific sports.
The joy of having an uncle, auntie, cousin or most importantly a parent in the same team, win or lose is a great motivation to children. Besides enjoying the sport there are very many other lessons which they can be able to pick for now and in their future life.
The joy of effort in pushing one more time for a score or just to defend a win. Team work in planning and executing the plan jointly for the sake of the team. Mutual respect to the opponents and teammates.
This is crowned by the fact that whether one loses or wins, they all remain as a family and continue sharing a meal and celebrating the festive season together.
We can try and make this festive period a start for youngsters to love and engage in sports. It’s not too late to buy sports equipment, some playing kit or just sign them up for a coaching program as a Christmas present.
They will love the gift and appreciate it in future. It will not make them champions but it will certainly give them some purpose in life.
Let’s make this festive period a sports festival at home and around the community!
Mutuku is the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya. [email protected]
