Sports Bring Filipino Families Closer

        From “Musical Chairs”, "Sack Race", “Pulvoron Eating Contest, PBA and NBA championships and to the recent ring exploits of “The People’s Champ” Manny Pacquiao, the love for sports has always been a binding factor of every Filipino family. Sports events are considered not only a time to espouse health and fitness among friends and family but also an opportunity to gather together and share moments to catch-up with the latest family or “barkada” gossip and to just simply hang-outand relax.

         I was inspired to share my family sports story by Fanatics.com, an online sports apparel retailer whose website has tons of great deals on anything you need, check them out if you’re looking for a new baseball hat, or a jersey to cheer on your NBA team!

          Sports activities also become perfect moments to pass on family values and legacies which are usually done by the head of the family. Values such as sportsmanship, determination, aspiration and tenacity are passed on from onegeneration to another through the enjoyment of sports. “Sports” a word that harbors meaning and magic to the Filipino nation, has always been one of the core activities that has brought together our nation and our families.

         “Competition among family members is a must to liven the party” (Valdez, A. Jr., personal correspondence, 2010),  as my father-in-law used to quote every time we were tasked to plan for a family party. True enough, it would seem that the mere inclusion of “parlor games” which would give them access to win “goodies” was enough to fire things up. 

My sisters-in-law and I planned to make our nieces and nephews' Halloween 2012 memorable and fun by organizing a sort of an "Amazing Race" game, not just an ordinary Trick or Treat.

Each team looked for clues to find all the hidden candies.

The first team who finished the tasks got more candies!

          As simple as an egg relay game can break barriers among family members who at some point may have had a misunderstanding or an argument or two, are disarmed and made to reconcile.
 

Every Christmas Day, we celebrate together as a family at my husband's side. Everybody is present.

The occasion is being started by a feast and followed by lots of singing, dancing, parlor games, and sports activities. Kids and adults join the fun! Everyone has a fair share of prizes, win or lose.

  
            The encompassing effect of sports to the Filipino psyche is somehow a testament to its pure intention of bringing harmony and peace through the appreciation of our very humanity. What makes us celebrate sports may not be due to our race, or team affiliation, it may simply be because sports let us remember the power and beauty of the human race through the appreciation of our gifts and talents.