I have always been one to agree with the commercials that you sometimes see late at night, where you watch the kid that did not play sports during his childhood performing unspeakable acts for meth in a back alley somewhere due to the lack of athletic opportunities in his/her life. Admittedly this commercial does not exist and probably never will, but its message rings true. Sports build an important structure for young people and develop many important traits that come into play throughout life.

Teamwork, perseverance, and morality are all characteristics that can be learned through a curling match or a bout of fencing. I have been taught through all of the sports that I have played — soccer, Taekwondo, basketball, Quidditch, baseball, and roller derby — that working as a team to achieve a common goal is one of the greatest elations in the world. Some of my proudest and happiest moments have come from the pitch or the field or the court. So why would anyone elect not to participate? I wish to answer this in order to hopefully persuade someone jump into the world of sports.

Perhaps you have not found the athletic activity that speaks to you. Well I will go through a couple of options for you, cause I’m just that kinda guy. If you are tall and perhaps a tad lanky but you have never been a fan of balls, the Ultimate Frisbee team is calling your name. If you feel like your testosterone levels are a little too big and your muscles a little too skimpy, then hit up Barry Bonds and join the baseball team. If you are the guy that sits on the couch all day, wanting to go outside and play but cheesy puffs and movies are just too appealing, then there are two sports for you; golf and bowling. If your life dream is to have both ’09 and the Messenger on your jock then the boys basketball team is your crystal slipper. And then again if you are just the overall package with smarts, courage, and that certain way with the ladies, then you would fit in perfectly with the cross country team. I hope that this helps you decide that there is no time like the present to sign up for one of Garfield’s many bodacious teams.

I know that most of you already play some type of sport and I would like to commend you for it. However I would also encourage you to broaden your horizons and check out other teams that you may not know about. Many people do not know this, but when he was little Michael Jordan wanted more than anything to be a famous rollerblader, until at the age of seven when his step uncle bought him a basketball. So just know that whether you are already playing a sport or not, your true athletic calling could be dialing your number and all you have to do is get up and answer the call.