The Healing Power of Sports
I was honored to play in a golf tournament yesterday sponsored by the United States Association of Former Members of Congress to benefit the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project which provides year round sports programs to wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their familes. Last year we raised over $125,000 and this year appears to be a great success as well. For a young soldier who has experienced the devastation of injury, sports can provide a path to healing. The Wounded Warrior Project is founded on the belief that…
these soldiers, airmen and marines are going through a very difficult time. They are warriors, athletes with the majority in their twenties…What they need is action NOW that will show them the promise of a bright and active future. Sport provides this.
We were all privileged to play a round of golf with a recently returned warrior. Our group had a great time even though golf is an admittedly frustrating sport for anyone taking it up for the first time. The young veteran in my foursome brought me good luck – I shot my age (which for those of you who don’t know me, is a low score!).
I believe in the power of sports to bring people together in a positive way. Seeing the many former members with whom I had served in public office brought back memories of my days in Congress when we used sports to bond across partisan lines. When we played an aggressive game of basketball in the house gym, you quickly forgot who had a “D” or ”R” by their name. I played paddleball on a regular basis with a very highly placed Republican and developed a strong cross-party friendship of mutual respect that is still active 28 years later. I get the feeling that our current Congress is not taking advantage of the power of sports to bridge differences…and to heal rifts. I hope that can change. If a wounded veteran has the guts to learn to play golf without all his limbs intact, then smart public officials could certainly find a way to work across party lines for the benefit of the American people. Seems to me that getting to know each other through the power of sports is a good first step.