Playing for the City: The Power of Sports for Christian Community Development

Can sports be a tool to harness the passions of young people and create lasting, positive change? Absolutely-in many ways, organized sports are designed perfectly for the job. In some neighborhoods, youth sports leagues are the best-organized youth programs in existence, and one of the only places where mature men and young boys interact in a structured way.Athletes are often social leaders in their schools and peer groups, and sports teach emotional regulation and leadership. In neighborhoods where public places can be dangerous, sports teams can be one of the safest outlets for energy and self-expression. School teams are publicly funded and community teams have connections to business sponsors. High school, college, and professional teams inspire a sort of civic pride that crosses nearly every demographic boundary. In North America, sports opens up countless opportunities at educational institutions through schol-arships and other programs. The possibilities for community trans-formation through sports are nearly endless. One of the greatest tools for the development and enrichment of communities across America is sitting right under our noses.