Sports and the power to heal
You never think that a national tragedy will strike close to you. That the bubble one lives in will never be penetrated. I was a only a middle schooler when 9/11 happened, so the emotional impact did not fully register in my mind. I could not grasp the full reality. Never did I ever think that a tragedy like that could ever touch me. Well in Orlando on a Sunday morning that all changed. The city where I, like many others, went to college. A city where I was planning on moving to. Struck by one of the most disgusting attacks in history. That feeling of never feeling a national tragedy will strike close to home is now gone. But through all this tragedy, the city will heal.
I will not go into all the details of what happened as the news and better writers have already discussed what happened. Instead this article will be about healing. About recovering after a national tragedy. You see, we all seek comfort in different ways following a tragedy. Be it watching mindless tv shows, exercising, or volunteering. Society as a whole seeks comfort following a tragic event. For a vast majority of people, sports offer that comfort. There is a famous story following 9/11 in which Bernie Williams went to a family member of those lost and comforted her with a hug. Who could ever forget the New Orleans Saints first game back in the Superdome following Katrina? Just thinking about Steve Gleeson's blocked punt is goosebump inducing.
Of course there are people like David Halberstram that say that those that equate sports role in healing in the aftermath of a tragedy are lessening the impact of said tragedy. But people like Halberstram do not get it. Sports in the face of a tragedy offer comfort. That instead of watching the news and hearing heart wrenching stories or hearing politicians capitalizing on the tragedy, sports offers a reprieve. Sports unite people if only for a few hours. Different races, beliefs, gender all come together for just a few hours to get away from the heartbreaking nature of the news. The fact that some people cannot understand this concept is truly baffling. But do not just take my word for it, look at what the great Nelson Mandela had to say "Sports have the power to change the world."
In the wake of the tragedy in Orlando, the sports community has reached out. Their contributions go beyond just do sting money. UCF's sports teams mostly the basketball and football teams all donated blood. Then instead of going home, the team's stayed and brought food for those still donating blood, the major pro franchises in Orlando have all teamed up to start a fund for the families of the victims. The franchises have done this through selling and creating the Orlando United shirts. Tommy Redding, the young centerback for Orlando City, is a Orlando native. He has been seen helping the donors and doing whatever he could. In fact most of Orlando City SC has done that and more. Orlando City will stop the match on Saturday at the 49th minute to honor the victims. Who doesn't want to be in the stands for that rendition of La Grande Victoria? Blake Bortles, the cult like figure in the central Florida region, has already donated over $10,000 for the victims' families. You see it wasn't just the LGBT community that was affected on Sunday. But every single person with a connection to Orlando. And for the sports community to reach out to help and give comfort is truly heart warming.
The United States Men's Soccer Team played an important game against Ecuador on Thursday. Sure it was important from a tournament standpoint. After the match would determine who would reach the Copa America Semi Final. Yet the game went beyond just that. It was a chance to show how United this country is. This was done even before the match as United States captain Michael Bradley wore a rainbow captain's armband. The crowd in Seattle held up rainbow flags and even a few Orlando City flags. The American Outlaws even broke out into a "You Are My Sunshine" song at the 62nd minute as that is the Orlando American Outlaw's chapter number. The men's team seemed to play with a sense and determination that they haven't played with since 2014. A sense of that the country needed a win and this team would deliver it. Truly beautiful. I'm not saying that sports will always heal. But for just a brief moment it felt like the country that has been wrecked with grief and anger, needed this.
Orlando will heal, Orlando will get better. It will take time, patience, and determination. But this city will get back to normal. In the meantime, sports will offer the comfort that many so desperately need.
