Sports are extremely popular in today’s society, but why is that? Why do so many people fall in love with what they play? Sports have been around for centuries, and are played all across the globe. With time, they have become increasingly popular and it’s hard to find a child who has never been a part of a team before. These competitions have stood the test of time, and there is a very important reason why. There’s an old saying that has ridiculed sports for quite some time; “It’s just a game”. However, I guarantee when you ask a sports player what it means to them, that will never be their response. When people think of the best part about sports, the first thing that comes to their head is that they are fun to play. It’s great to be out on that court draining shots, throwing touchdowns to your best friends, and dribbling the ball down the pitch. It’s the most direct form of entertainment and it provides countless good memories. While this is great for players, there are many other forms of entertainment and I want to highlight what makes sports different from anything else. One of the more important characteristics of sports that many overlook is the mindset that players have when it comes to the games. Every athlete knows what gameday feels like. The nervous excitement, the pregame music playlist to get hyped, the motivational speeches from the captains, that pounding heartbeat just before it finally begins. Nothing else matters except for that game, no stressing about school, no thinking about your plans for the weekend, just playing your absolute best. It’s impossible to use the term “it’s just a game” because the game that’s in front of that athlete is the most important thing in their life at that moment. They can’t view it as a game, it’s so much more than that. This mentality, this feeling, is what makes sports so special. Competition is at its finest through sports, with teams going head-to-head fighting it out to win the game. It pushes athletes to play their hardest and give everything they have, and it’s hard to find a better feeling than winning a game. These passionate emotions that athletes feel are the reason why sports are so important, it’s an experience that is hard to find anywhere else in the world, and makes this subject simply amazing.