How a Simple Game Showed Me the Life-Changing Power of Sports

Like everyone else, I knew that sports play a crucial role in improving fitness levels, refreshing the mind, and providing several other health benefits. Whenever I heard that sports go beyond fitness, I used to think — okay, maybe they are referring to discipline, punctuality, or teamwork that helps kids respect one another and play as a team. 

Little did I know that, along with these, sports hold a much bigger value: it can transform lives. Yes, it can. And I discovered its transformative power through a simple ball-passing game.

The Ball-Passing Game That Sparked a Realization

A couple of years ago, I was jogging in a playground near my house. I often went there, but that day I noticed something that would later play a crucial role in my decision to do philanthropic work through sports. 

After jogging, I rested under a tree and saw two kids passing a football to each other. They were enjoying themselves, and I thought for a moment — maybe it’s because no one was standing in between to block the ball. That thought sparked something in me. 

I walked over to them and asked if I could join. They smiled and said yes. I stood between them and told them, “There’s a small change in the game. You now have to pass the ball to each other without letting me intercept it.”

They hesitated for a few seconds but accepted the challenge. At first, they struggled, as I was able to block every pass. I was curious to see how they would respond. Soon, they started using their dribbling skills. When I attacked from the right, one moved left and passed the ball. When I attacked from the left, the other moved right and passed it back. Slowly, they gained control of the game, and I couldn’t get hold of the ball.

To make things more challenging, I invited a friend of mine who was cycling nearby. Now, two of us stood between the two kids. The challenge grew tougher, but their excitement grew even more. After a few failed attempts, they brought out their best skills. One flicked the ball over our heads to his friend, and the friend did the same. They kept improvising, using brilliant techniques that kept the ball far from our reach.

Hidden Lessons: What the Kids Taught Me About Life

After a while, we stopped playing as we were tired, though the kids weren’t. My friend left, but I stayed, resting under the same tree and replaying the game in my mind. Would the kids have discovered their dribbling and flicking skills had we not challenged them? Did they even know they had that talent before we made it tougher?

That’s when I began connecting the game to life. When nothing stands in our way, things feel easy, like when the kids were passing the ball freely. But when challenges arise, like me standing between them, life suddenly feels harder. We panic, worry, and lose focus. Yet the kids didn’t panic. They analyzed the problem, found solutions, and adapted with dribbling skills. Later, when my friend joined, the challenge grew even bigger, but instead of giving up, they discovered more of their hidden talent.

Life is the same. When problems come, they push us to uncover our hidden potential. Instead of asking “Why me?”, we should see them as opportunities to grow. If everything always remained smooth, we might never discover what we’re truly capable of. 

Another important lesson is that worrying doesn’t solve anything; finding solutions does. The kids didn’t wish my friend and me would leave; they simply kept searching for ways to succeed, and they did.

From Reflection to Action: My Step Into Philanthropy

That day, I truly realized the power of sports. I had seen kids play passing games countless times before, but why did this thought strike me only that day? I don’t have a clear answer. Maybe because I was already looking for something meaningful to do beyond my office job. At that time, I felt settled in my career and wanted to contribute to something bigger, and watching those kids set me in that direction.

I decided to volunteer with sports NGOs, focusing on designing life skills sessions for children. I even converted the ball-passing game into a life skills activity for larger groups of kids. Over time, I designed many such sessions, which I found could really help children. 

I started approaching sports organizations, encouraging them to integrate life skills into their training schedules along with warm-ups, drills, practice matches, and cool-downs. Unfortunately, not many gave equal importance to life skills.

Why Life Skills Matter as Much as Sports Skills

Life skills matter because they strengthen kids’ mental resilience. Today, many talented players fail not because of a lack of skill, but because they struggle with handling failure, overthinking, anxiety, or pressure. 

Every selection trial or tournament brings stress, and every loss can lead to frustration or even depression. Without the right mindset, many kids, even some international players, are unable to sustain successful careers despite having immense talent.

The problem is that when values or lessons are simply preached, kids see it as advice and often ignore it. But when the same lessons are taught through fun games (life skills sessions), they engage, absorb, and apply them in their lives. That’s the power of sports: it teaches life’s lessons through play.

Finding the Right Platform: Joining Victory Sports Foundation

Eventually, I found the right organization — Victory Sports Foundation. Unlike others, Victory valued life skills as much as sports training. They believe that winning isn’t everything; what truly matters is the well-being and growth of every child. For over two decades, they’ve been helping underprivileged kids excel not only in sports but also in life. Their motto is simple yet powerful: “Every child deserves to play, irrespective of their economic background.”

I began volunteering with them by conducting life skills sessions. Gradually, I became more involved, supporting their social media, content writing, events, and much more. Looking back, volunteering with Victory Sports Foundation has been one of the best decisions of my life. The journey over these three years has been incredible.

If there’s one lesson that stands out from everything I’ve experienced at Victory Sports Foundation, it’s this: “Winning or losing isn’t what matters most. The most beautiful part of sports is the opportunity to play.”