Value of games and sports

The battle of waterloo was won on the playground of Eton and Harrow;

‘’All work and no play makes jack a dull boy’’.

It is recognized by all educationists that true education should aim at the physical and intellectual development of a student. Physical and mental education should go hand in hand. In the modern age the importance of games has been fully realised. For this purpose separate sports collages and coaching institutions have been opened. No educational set up can afford to ignore the fitness and development of the human body.

Games and sports are necessary to keep the body fit. Physical fitness and freedom from disease are the ambitions of every human being. In fact, good health is a necessary condition for happiness in life. Both sophisticated games like cricket, hockey and football and rustic games like kabaddi and kho-kho provide exercise to the body keep it fit.

Recreation should refresh the human mind and body and provide an opportunity to escape from the drudgery of our professional pursuits. While playing games we forget the anxieties and worries of life. Games sharpen us mentally also as they require skill. This skill comes into play when we are playing games like cricket, hockey and football. They are not just a matter of physical stamina.

Man is said to be a social animal. Education teaches man how to live in society. Games which are a necessary part of education help man in becoming a useful member of society. Every games is played according to certain rules. Non-compliance with rules means foul play and every foul step means a penalty. In other words games develop in players the habit of fair play. A sportsman, because of his love of fair play, loves honesty and justice which are moral qualities.

A true sportsman plays for the sake of playing. He does not play for the sake of winning a color and distinction. He accepts defeat with a smiling face. At the same time his defeat on the sports fields drives him to greater effort in the future. Such a lesson can help a sportsman in the future life. Victory and defeat in the field of sports make a man strong enough to face life with courage. Games teach certain other qualities like the team spirit and mutual co-operation. Obedience of the captain’s order on the playground makes a sportsman disciplined. Games and sports bring us into contact with others, especially stranger. They broaden our social sphere. International athletic events like the Word Olympic bring players of different nationalities and countries together. Players thus act as angels of goodwill, friendship and culture.

Games enable us in living in healthy and happy life. Time spent on games is a bad investment. Games enable us to make use of the surplus energy of our youth in a good manner. It is a pity that some elderly people look upon games as harmful and time-washing media. In certain schools and collage games are completely ignored. They specialize in making their students bookworms. In this matter we should follow the example of countries like America, Russia and England which gives due place to games in education. But too much emphasis on games is also not good. They should not be played at the cost of studies. It has been very appropriately stated above that physical and mental education should go hand in hand.