In all honesty, I am not the biggest sports fan out there. Sure, I’ve watched games and gone to sporting events, but I never had the time to really devote myself to watching any sport on a consistent basis, like my family does. Don’t get me wrong, I like sports, and I do enjoy watching them, but I will never be the type to look up sports stats, create a fantasy football team, or watch ESPN until my eyes bleed. Yet, despite my lack of overwhelming interest in sports, I am absolutely fascinated by them and the atmosphere they create.

Imagine standing in a room with thousands of people, all watching the Villanova Basketball team as they win the national championship. The room was full of excitement, tension, and screaming fans, all hoping for the same thing: to see victory. This room is magical; it has the ability to turn even the most uninterested sports fans into die hard believers. On Monday night I watched as one friend, who had never watched a Villanova Basketball game before in her life, as she became just as captivated win the spirit in the room as everyone else. By the end of the game, she was jumping up and down, screaming, and hugging us all, like every other person in the stadium.

That’s why I find sports so entertaining and magical; they have the ability to unite people in a way that nothing else can. No matter people’s differences in the real world, they still have the ability to fall under the spell of spirit and excitement in the face of sports. These games are not just about entertainment, they are about deeper themes that connect us to one another. Sports emphasize the concepts of hard work, dedication, perseverance, and teamwork, just to name a few. Every game reflects that through their players, and by watching them compete, we can experience these themes, and let them ignite our own emotions. That is why sports fans can become so crazy; it is not just about winning or losing a game, it is the pride of the accomplishment and the fulfillment the crowd gets from the themes. That is why a person who might not know the rules of the game, or the players on the court can still become captivated. If they can feel the emotions, the connections to the audience and the players that others feel, then non-sports fans can feel the magic too.

These are some of the reasons why sports movies are so popular. These movies are not just about reflecting the sport, but reflecting the meaning behind the sport. For example, in my all time favorite movie, Remember the Titans, the focus of the movie is not to show a team play and win football. The focus of the movie is the ability that working together can build tolerance, overcome differences, and foster community. It also shows the effects that hard work and dedication can have. And, on a completely unrelated note, it has a fantastic soundtrack. The reasons these movies are so popular is the feel good qualities and values they represent, not the sports backgrounds, which is why so many people, even those who don’t understand the rules of the sports, can still love and enjoy them.

So now, all you lesser sports enthusiasts out there, like me, who might not understand all the rules of the games or watch them every week, don’t give up on sports. Sports are magical, even if you can’t completely understand them. Their ability to reflect themes and bring people together is unparalleled to anything I have ever seen. Just look at the Olympics, which bring together the whole world, just through the themes I’ve already mentioned. Next time you have the opportunity to watch a game with your friends or family, give it a try. You might just find yourself jumping up and down, screaming like a dedicated fan.