Sports and life skills go hand in hand

As FIFA World Cup 2026 builds toward the final game and the World Cup winner, I noticed that sports is another part of our life, our rhythm.

The highs and lows of a game, or of a season, affect our moods, responses, and often how we feel overall.

There are any number of sports that we may follow. We may just keep an ear to scores as games are played through the season or we may take the time and watch every game our team plays.

We root for them, wanting them to win. When they win, we feel great! When they lose, our “feel great” is not so much.

Sports can support us in many areas of our life. We can learn teamwork, communication, tenacity, connection and how to give back to our community. All of what we learn in or from sports can be carried into and through the rest of our lives.

Teamwork teaches us how to collaborate and work with others. Communication is something we use every day. Clear communication is something that is learned.

Tenacity gives us the strength to keep going and accomplish what we set out to do, even though we may be tired and have reached a point where we don’t care. Connection teaches us how to meet people, get to know them and become a part of a group.

These are all skills that we use (or can use) every day of our life.

We learn to do our best on any given day. Our best on Monday may not be our best on Friday and maybe our best for the week was really on Wednesday; it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that we learn to always give our best.

The rules of any sport teach us to have integrity in our sport by following the rules. Without rules, there is chaos. No one knows or understands how to play the sport when there is chaos because the rules are continually changing.

When someone doesn’t like the way things are going, they change the rules to suit themselves. Following the rules keeps the integrity of the sport intact. Integrity in life keeps us on a focused path (though we may take an occasional detour).

So, when looked at, sports can teach life skills. Who would have thought? You can learn life skills while you’re having fun!

Summer is here! Pick a sport, learn stuff and have fun!

Deni Krauss is a transition and grief coach. She can be reached at deni@denikrausscoaching.com, facebook.com/DeniKrauss, linkedin.com or at (415) 516-3035.