The fantasy that movies, books, and games provide is serves as a way for audiences to escape reality and experience imaginary situations. That sense of fantasy is found by many with sports, making the activity much more than just another form of entertainment. Sports can cultivate intense emotion, leaving lasting impacts on people’s lives and opening up a whole other world that not everyone can see. 

“I cannot explain my passion for [soccer],” said accounting and finance major and Fatima Ba, who plays for Pace’s soccer team. “But what I most love about the game is its ability to unite people from all over the world with different life experiences for one common goal.” 

Ba grew up in the Mauritania, Africa where her interest in sports started at nine-years old. She said that during her time in the undeveloped country, she learned invaluable skills such as teamwork, discipline, persistence, drive and commitment. The Setters’ pitcher, Josh Garran, shares the same passion for sports as Ba.

“My passion and love for baseball definitely comes from all the memories I’ve made playing the game,” said Garren, who is a criminal justice major. “Baseball is a game of life, it has taught me responsibility and matured me throughout the years. If it was not for baseball, I would not be who I am today.” 

Garran grew up in Old Tappan, New Jersey, and has been playing baseball since kindergarten. His dad was his coach until eighth grade and inspired him to study criminal justice. Sports may provide skills and lessons, but they can also provide unforgettable opportunities for athletes. Last summer, Garran was able to play with the official team of Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“I came together with a team of kids from all over the country coming from all different D-I and D-II colleges. You really learn a lot meeting [players] from Alabama, Colorado, Arkansas. They were all so different from anyone who I’ve ever met,” said Garran, who walked away from the experience with life-long friends.

Pace’s wide receiver, Wanye Haynes, claims to have developed many of his characteristics just by playing on an organized team, in which he learned the importance of a strong work-ethic.

“[Sports] taught me about leadership because I was in a position where I was the coach’s son so everyone kind of thought I was not playing fairly,” Haynes said. “I had to show them that it was not unfair and that I was actually a good player, so I had to take leadership and control the team.”

Both fans and players have utilized sports as an opportunity for growth in which athletics has actually become a part of them.