The health and fitness of today’s youth is laughable. Obese, over weight and lethargic children can be seen as far as the eye can see. While the newspapers report of problems and wars from all over the world they tend to neglect the problem that lies directly beneath our nose.
The youth of today are bombarded with computers, video games, foxtel and the Internet. The big companies continue to manipulate the young minds with hyped up marketing and continue to drive them into the world of cyberspace. What is cyberspace anyway? What happened to the good old days? When I was a troublesome youth, the Internet wasn’t even discovered. Apple meant you were eating fruit and television only came in two colors, Black and White. Ipods, Xbox and PlayStation had not been discovered and the streets were a buzz with fights and sports.
I can see you looking at the monitor and double checking to see if this is still a soccer site. There is a point to my opening introduction. When I was growing up each kid had an ambition, a goal to be the best player in the street. Whether this meant the best soccer player, cricket player or simply the toughest kid in the suburb, it was a driving force that inspired us. The fire in the belly and the sparkle in our eyes is what made us tick back in the days, not computer games.
To be the best and to never surrender especially to those punks that lived nearby was our motto. How many kids have this competitive edge today? A snapshot of today’s youth will have them eating in McDonald’s or playing Video games. They will have an extensive selection of toys and have all the latest gizmo’s that money can buy. The streets have been deserted for years and the level of sporting activity has declined significantly.
Does anyone recall this saying, “the simple things in life are often the best”. What would happen if the internet, computer games and the giant food companies were taken away? Children would return back to the basics. Riding bikes, playing in the street and digging out the gravel that has been lodged in their knee since the morning slide tackle would return. Kids would become active again and learn the trade of the street. How to survive, how to compete and how to conquer. In order for a kid to be healthy and fit he needs a big dose of competition and I’m not referring to the highest score in a computer game.
Let me give you a scenario. For this example I’m going to use two different kids from two different backgrounds. The first kid is Luke and the second kid is Gabriel. Luke comes from a wealthy family and is provided with everything he needs. He has every new toy imaginable and his bedroom resembles that of a toy store. Due to excess and the abundance of money, Luke has become overweight and doesn’t exercise at all. He indulges in take away and most of his time is spent in his room playing video games. His social life has suffered because of this.
Gabriel on the other hand lives in Buenos Aries. He lives a life of poverty and barely has enough food to eat. The only thing of value Gabriel owns is a soccer ball and the two knees that bend that allow him to play soccer. Gabriel has an army of friends who have been together now since birth. They have a soccer ground which is in the form of an alley way found behind the local liquor store. Gabriel and his friends dream of one day playing for the biggest clubs in Europe and providing for not only their families, but for the whole village.
Let me now ask you a question, who has the better life? Which life would you choose?
Soccer gives you the ability to dream and to have hope. Everyday when I get to look at my old scars from the battles I’ve lost and won, a warm sensation feels me to the point where I smile and remember the old street gang.
Don’t buy your children PlayStations, buy them a soccer ball and give them a life. Give them dreams and fuel the fire that burns within us all.
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