My heart is breaking, for both my son and our country at large. Because of the current pandemic and volatility of the political climate we live in, my son’s college dreams of playing football have been once again put on hold. Like thousands of other college and high school athletes, the health concerns that accompany COVID-19 and the endless rounds of political posturing have placed a nationwide cease and desist order on all organized sports. Frustration and confusion abound. You see it in the faces of coaches and players alike, you hear it from the groans of the parents. The chorus is the same, “If we take proper precautions, why can’t we play? Isn’t it just as safe as going to the grocery or protesting on the streets?”

I may be a bit more anxious for my son than most. After my son Giovanni had a tremendous high school career playing for Kent City High School, he was offered a position to play running back for Wheaton College in Illinois. Last summer, on the third day of practice, he tore his ACL during drills which required knee surgery and a whole year of rehabilitation. Now that his knee is fully recovered, he is ready to get back at it. That is until COVID hit. He is sidelined again, and needless to say, this news has not been welcomed by him or me.

Many have said to me, “But Chris, football is just a silly game and sports have been idolized for far too long in our country, whereas COVID-19 is a life and death virus. Stop being so selfish. We need to do what we can to crush it, so in the meantime, we must stop any activity that is not essential, and playing sports is definitely not essential. In fact, it might be a good thing for us to take a break from sports and get back to things that matter.”

Well, I believe sports matters, and as long as I have a voice I will speak. My purpose is to try and explain why we need sports, and yes, it may even be more essential than keeping liquor stores open. As a pastor in a small town, I know the constant difficulties and trauma families face every day. After much thought and discussion with people and professionals I know and respect I believe we need to rethink why sports must go on. Here are my humble thoughts.

The Four Essential Reasons Why We Need Sports:

(1) Sports provide a healthy, supportive, and disciplined community that student-athletes will voluntarily submit to. Did you know it is hard to get students to live disciplined lives these days? As we have found out in this pandemic, what spreads the virus faster than any other activity is unrestrained large group gatherings and parties. Spring Break beach events and late-night clubbing are known to exponentially affect the spread. You can tell a young, active, and hormone-driven student to stay away from crowds all day, but they won’t listen. However, if those same students join a sports team where check-ins, daily routine practices are required, and substance abuse policies are signed, the virus has a better chance to be contained. Most sports teams also have developed a contact tracing system to know exactly who to quarantine and care for if the virus has been caught. The beauty of team sports is that students voluntarily allow oversight and enforced “best practices” in their life. You can’t find that kind of cooperation anywhere else in our society — go to the streets of Portland at night if you disagree. But if you tell those same students the season has been put on hold so they must be patient and stay home, good luck with that. Especially when adrenaline, testosterone, and just plain boredom is coursing through their young, fit bodies. Left unchecked, a student-athlete in the prime of his life will not sit still. Sports cure that.

(2) Sports have created a whole financial ecosystem that helps drive the economy. When sports are canceled so are paychecks: Coaches, writers, trainers, food suppliers, analysts, uniform and equipment outfitters, and television and radio stations are put out of work. My son can get a degree from a very expensive school because of the revenue that sports bring in. Imagine the urban athlete who feels trapped in limited opportunity; with sports, there is hope. Over the past 50 years, we have created a whole network of careers and job opportunities because of sports. This is not just a “silly game” for some, it is a way of life. When sports are canceled, the economic impact is staggering. In context, students under the age of 25 have less than .025% chance of dying, much less than breaking a leg or tearing another ACL. I believe the risk is worth it, so does my son.

(3) Sports have a tremendous psychological effect on our society. People have used sports as a way to make it through another day. As a pastor, the amount of anxiety and stress that has been caused by COVID-19 is immeasurable. Personally, my office phone has been blowing up with couples needing marital counseling, men trying to kick depression, and teens getting in trouble with the law. Sports offers an emotional outlet, something to hope in, a chance to unwind. Like a pressure valve on a boiler, sports help us unload pressure in constructive ways. Father and sons use sports to bond. Families have a reason to gather. Just the background noise of a baseball game is calming. If for no other reason than a stress release, we need sports.

(4) Sports add color and joy to our existence. Life is not about simply surviving, it is about living. And real living needs joy. Joy comes in good music, tasty food, warm hugs from a loved one, a long vacation. And in the same way, I believe sports bring joy to millions of people. Some people will never understand the smell of cut grass on a hot August practice field or the thrill of the bright lights of a Friday night football game, but for many, that is joy. As a child I grew up playing tackle football in the backyard with my neighbors, I will never forget the feeling of being out in the cool autumn air while orange leaves cascaded off the trees. Or as a parent, I cherish the moment watching my daughter serve 15 straight points on a Saturday afternoon volleyball tournament. Some people will say that is frivolous, matters of unimportance. I say it is life and joy.

I have about ten more reasons why sports should not be viewed simply as a peripheral issue, but an essential tool for surviving this pandemic. But I will stop at four. With all that being said, I will rest my case that sports matter. In the end, it isn’t even about winning or being better than another team, it is about flourishing along the journey. It’s about the lessons learned. The relationships formed. The thrill. I am going to miss it. And I also don’t think it needs to be this way.