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Heroism and Sports Essay

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Heroism and Sports

The term heroism depicts a brave individual that in one way or another contributed to

society in a major way. Society often strives to keep the memories of heroes alive as a symbol of

hope and admiration meant to inspire latter generations. Examples of heroes are men and women

who served their country during war, activists that were able to bring significant change for

instance Martin Luther King and in some cases athletes often end up in this category. There has

always been a debate over whether or not athletes can fit the description of a hero (McDermott,

2017). People tend to view athletes as individuals that portray great strength and determination

hence deserve the title of being a hero. However, others dispute this fact and claim that athletes

are simply people who earn a living through their physical prowess and this does not mean that

they are heroes. Hero or no hero, fact still remains that in order for a person to be classified as a

hero, he or she must make a significant contribution to society.

Billings in his book, Communication and Sports argues that what an athlete does off the

field is essential in classifying one as a hero (Billings, Butterworth & Turman, 2018). He notes

that athletes may seem heroic on the pitch but at times their personal lives give an opposite

impression (Billings, Butterworth & Turman, 2018). The media is indeed responsible for the

idolization of athletes and creating numerous platforms such as talk shows in which athletes

continue to bask in glory. However, it is safe to say that a player’s contribution in the field is not

necessarily a contribution to society. It is true that sports bring a sense of unity and players do

help in reminding the fans on the importance of peace by partaking in anthems before the game

starts but this is not a significant contribution to society. In fact, the emphasis of peace during

matches has become a norm and cannot be recognized as heroic. When a player brings victory to

his team, the team’s position in the table will change, the athlete’s bank account readings will

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obviously improve but society will still remain unchanged. Even though athletes are not

necessarily heroes, there are icons in this field that have proved themselves and deserve such a

title.

Recently, the world woke up to a sad story that left fans in mourning. Kobe Bryant

succumbed to an accident that also killed his daughter and some of his colleagues who were with

him at the time. Kobe was an athlete that played for the Los Angeles Lakers and was highly

praised for bringing victory to his team. He is remembered not only for his prowess on court but

also the numerous contributions he made in society. The Kobe and Vanessa Foundation was

started by Kobe and his wife as a way of giving back to society. There are numerous

beneficiaries such as young struggling men and women that have benefitted from scholarships in

high school and college. He has helped and coached numerous players in their career and this is

truly a character of a hero. Kobe Bryant is a good example of an athlete that will be remembered

as a hero.

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Heroism and Sports The term heroism depicts a brave individual that in one way or another contributed to society in a major way. Society often strives to keep the memories of heroes alive as a symbol of hope and admiration meant to inspire latter generations. Examples of heroes are men and women who served their country during war, activists that were able to bring significant change for instance Martin Luther King and in some cases athletes often end up in this category. There has always been a debate over whether or not athletes can fit the description of a hero (McDermott, 2017). People tend to view athletes as individuals that portray great strength and determination hence deserve the title of being a hero. However, others dispute this fact and claim that athletes are simply people who earn a living through their physical prowess and this does not mean that they are heroes. Hero or n ...
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