I have met a variety of people in my life so far as a 20-year-old in college. Contrary to popular belief, I have found more people similar than different. While there have been few surprises, the one that surprises me the most is how many people hate sports. It is more than just "I hate to exercise more than I have to," I go to the point of trying to disregard sports as something to be proud of! I just can not understand how people can feel this way.

While I can understand not being a fan of sports, many of my friends have few to absolutely no sports teams they follow. I also might be a bit more into sports than the average person. After all, It was a requirement to play sports in my household, at least on the family baseball team or a high school sports team. I still can't comprehend how someone could just hate sports! If you have even just fond memories of playing tag as a kid, you know the exhilaration of running and getting the person "it." If you ever played sports as a kid, you can understand the feeling of accomplishment that comes from being a part of a sport. There are just so many reasons to love sports!

If you hate exercise, sports can actually help you! I know many sports and other athletics require physical exertion. It is the fun way to exercise because not everyone can just workout at a gym. If you are unsure of how to work out, this can be a great way to get in shape without too much research or long thought-out gym plans. Many sports like tennis and basketball are easy to pick up and allow you to do a full-body workout without planning! All you have to do is play!

I am often confused why people think athletics and sports achievements are not true achievements or only for people who are not intellectually inclined. What I have seen in sports supports the fact that there is a huge about of intellectuals within the sports community, as well as how hard these athletes work and the sacrifices they make to achieve their goals. As a professional athlete, you do not get to take your body for granted. There are nutritionists, labs and constant work to maintain and improve your body. Their whole life, not just the time they spend in games and contest like some might treat their desk jobs, is spent on working toward this goal. They make it look so easy, but they battle the limits of their own body. They also have to learn strategy and, depending on their sport, whole other languages just to deal with sports that have social obligations. For example, in tennis, many professional tennis players have taken up English and French with their own native language to be able to speak to coaches, fans and reporters at the Opens. It is so strange to think that there are people who do not see the hours of work, patience and skill that goes into these athletes.

Even if you hate exercise, there are other reasons people should love sports. A major reason I love sports is because it brings people together. It helps people connect and be a part of something bigger than themselves. It is a community of old and young, amateur and professionals, that come to play and cheer on these athletes. It is a wonderful community I am proud to be a part of, so I will see you in the stands!