For the Love of the Game

So I am a fan of sports, in particular track and field. Now I am not a fanatic. I watch sports and have even tried to play some, but I just enjoy it. It is not anywhere near a priority in life. I probably would have it higher on my list if I had ever been any good at something I played, but unfortunately I was not meant to be an athlete.
     Alright enough pontificating, my big word for the day. Time to get to the heart of this post which is playing sports. I feel that everyone should because it helps you become part of a team in many instances, which we all are whether we realize it or not. It also teaches life lessons in perseverance, dealing with stress, improving yourself, setting goals, winning, losing, and how you grow from all the experiences you will have while playing.
     Most importantly in sports is the notion of playing fair. I don't care if the person or team I like losses, well that is not completely true, but no matter if they do I just want it to be fair. If I or anyone do their best and come up short, and it was a fair playing field, then it was true and honest. Everyone involved should hold their heads up high and feel good at what they accomplished. On the flip side if things were not fair then those who cheated should bow their heads in shame. People that use illegal supplementation, referee's or players that are paid off, people not playing by the rules. Some people don't get caught, but that doesn't make it right. If you cheat you don't love the game and you never have.
     Now what has got me thinking about sports is something I read about recently. Up in Connecticut some transgender athletes were competing in the girls division in track and field. Now before anyone gets confused, this post is not about transgender being right or wrong. In my opinion however there is wrong in this situation, and that is letting someone with the physical capabilities of a male compete against females. To me this is a form of cheating. Everyone knows that the male body has a physical advantage over the female body, its just biology. Now I understand that some believe their mind and soul were naturally born a different gender than their body. That still does not change biology.
     Tennis great Martina Navratilova recently made comments that are in line with what I'm saying. She has openly lived as a lesbian for many years.Yet suddenly she was criticized like she was closed minded for stating the obvious that the girls competing against transgender athletes were at a disadvantage.
     So like Martina I am asking that we just think about fairness in sports and use our minds not just our hearts. Many of our hearts may go out to people who are transgender, but our minds know that scientifically it is not fair for them to compete in the female division. For the love of the game lets make our best efforts to keep sports as a fair test of athletic ability on as level of a playing field as we can.