Play Ball

Sports are a universal metaphor, everywhere people play games, everywhere people have team sports. Here in Italy Soccer, calcione is the favorite sport. In the past I have played with my young friend Alberto, and know for certain that children of 8 play much better than me, they have been training with intent longer. The intention of the game is so important to team sports, you must connect well not only with the ball and goal, as in the case with soccer, but with the other team members as well. One person does not make a team, no matter how fabulous they are.

Which is why, as a sports fanatic, I self identify as such because if you put a group of people out there with numbers on their back to play any sport, for me, it is time to stop and watch. But it has been said that I am a lousy sports fan because I don’t have favorite teams per se, I enjoy watching a good game, especially good and graceful teamwork, generally rooting against any team that is fouling often, displaying less finesse and sportsmanship. My favorite games are when both teams are playing clean, smart and as unified bodies…it is bliss, and how many times has any of us heard the excitement in another’s voice when they say “that was a GOOD game!” especially when the scoring goes back and forth because the incredible skill of both teams?

Just as humans will create sports teams, so also do we create groupings in any of our social networks. Living in a small town this seems to be intensified if only because the team divisions are more clear. It is apparent who is hanging out with whom. Whether for specific reasons: the church ladies, the dance school, the soccer players….etc, humans gravitate towards forming these teams. It is how and where we connect with people we have common interests with on a regular basis. In any city, village, town or countryside these patterns are the norm, forming our groups is inherent to our species as it is with many species of God’s creation. It is a very good thing, call it teams, packs, herds, cliques, or homies, we are meant to experience life insieme, life together.

The tricky part is always to keep the game clean, to keep it fair, and to keep any rivalries friendly. One goal for the end of the day, at the end of life, is to hear and know the words, Good Game! Often this becomes tricky when playing the game of life, because there is that desire always to win, to come out on top. As a player it often takes times to figure out when arriving to a new town, new workplace, new church or other institution which “team” we want to play with. To be part of a team where our skills, but most importantly our hearts, fit in. It is not the best fit to be a great volleyball setter playing midfielder on a lacrosse team, especially if you don’t know the game. We need first to find a good team match, to be in collaboration with the others on the team, finally to play well not only within our team, but in contact with the other teams. What psychologists call good group dynamics, is simply playing life’s game well.

To take it one step further, to love our neighbors becomes a new venture when playing on different teams, and engaged in different sports. But always to love our neighbors is simply to play well with others in the game of life. To choose our sport, our teams is to find those we relate well with, those who are perhaps a bit easier for us to love. It is a place where we fit in enough to give us strength to PLAY ON, to play well with those on the opposing team at our very best. And at the end of the game of life, we will all shake hands and know that the game of life was good.

How would you describe yourself as a team player? How would you describe your team or teams in the game of life? How does your team support you through life's challenges and encourage you to play well with others?