By Mikayla Ferenz
(April 18, 2023)

When I am asked what I do, I typically answer: “I play professional basketball.” Most people will use the word “play” to describe participation in sports. Ironically, modern, and competitive sport seldom reflects the true definition of what it means to “play.” So, what does it mean to play?

According to sport philosophers, an activity must follow a specific set of necessary and sufficient conditions to qualify as play. Playing is voluntary and free, it follows rules and has an objective, and it is autotelic, meaning it has a purpose within itself. Thus, sports should be an ideal form of play.  However, at some point in every athlete’s life, sport loses an important aspect of play. The play element disappears when you must go to practice, when winning becomes the primary focus, and when money is involved. Sport is no longer free or voluntary. 

Unfortunately, this happens at a very young age for most athletes. Many children are thrust into sports by parents and too often, their youth coaches emphasize winning above all else. But how can anyone expect children to fall in love with playing their sport if we do not allow them the time to actually play it?  Many young athletes will claim that they love their sport, but what they actually fall in love with is personal success and winning. Unfortunately, not every child gets the opportunity to fall in love purely and innocently with playing their sport. If we want young athletes to fall in love with their sport instead of the outcome, then coaches and parents must preserve the aspects of play in sport for as long as possible. 

The love an athlete has for their sport as a child impacts the rest of their athletic life.  At a team retreat in college, my coach asked my teammates and me to do an activity in which we had to answer the question: “Why do you play basketball?” I wrote down three things: One, my family; two, my teammates; and three, my love for playing the game. My teammates and I were then asked to read what we wrote aloud and elaborate on our answers. Several of my teammates never mentioned loving the game of basketball. Instead, they listed: “to have a relationship with my dad,” “for my friends,” or “to pay for school.” The teammates who did not mention loving the game, to no surprise, quit basketball before graduating. Athletes confuse the attention from success and rewards with loving the sport.  As a result, young athletes burn out or quit their sport prematurely.

I am not surprised that so many athletes quit their sport when they reach the collegiate level. Playing a college sport is a job. A collegiate athlete dedicates more than 40 hours per week to their sport, and on top of that, they must be a full-time college student.  I remember I felt exhausted and overwhelmed. I dreaded going to practice, which was something I never experienced before. Despite the negative feelings I had towards my sport, I never once considered quitting. My love for playing basketball never wavered and it was the only thing that pushed me through those hard times.

All coaches, especially youth coaches, should strive to preserve the love play for their athletes as long as possible by fostering an environment that emphasizes joy rather than winning.  Coaches can do this by always making the focus on embracing every opportunity and staying present. One of my coaches growing up loved to use the phrase “Embrace the opportunity,” forcing my teammates and me to change our mindset.  He reminded us that our practices and games were not something we have to do, but something we get to do.  That phrase was also a reminder to give our best and enjoy every moment. 

My favorite coaches growing up were the ones who never made the focus on the result.  These coaches always praised and reinforced the things that my teammates and I could control: our effort and our attitude.  These coaches put winning in perspective, by making good values like working hard and being a good teammate equally, if not more, important than winning.  My favorite coaches were the ones who were great teachers.  A great coach can teach athletes to build confidence, work well with others, and value hard work by committing to their sport. 

I am now a professional athlete; my sport is my job.  Professional athletics do not emphasize play, instead, they emphasize winning and money, which has trickled down into our youth sports.  It can be difficult to preserve the element of play as a professional athlete, but I would not be playing still if it were not for the coaches that taught me to “play” basketball.  I still play because I still love basketball.  I love the relationships I form through the sport.  I love challenging myself.  And I love the feeling of joy I get when I play.  Until the joy of playing fades away or my body gives out, I will continue to play.  So, when I am asked what I do, I answer truthfully: “I play basketball.”