I think that it’s amazing how, no matter the field you work in the sports industry, you have to be really fit. Especially if your job requires you to actually do the work while the game is going on. Sometimes, I fear that some officials have to be just as fit as the athletes themselves, if not more. Because the only way to do your job right is to be able to keep up with them, and how can you keep up with professional athletes if you’re not fit?
When you think about it, not every job requires being in top physical condition. For most of the time, you simply have to be of sound mind and body, that’s usually enough. But not when it comes to sports, and if your job is vital to the game, then you also have to be as fit as athletes themselves.
One major example of this is the referees. They're not really considered as professional athletes, but really, can we say they’re not? They run and jump, and play for the same amount of time that the main players of the game do. In most cases, the referees will be there throughout the game, while other players will be substituted in or out. Let me ask you, can you be a referee if, after every few seconds of running, you feel like you’re going to pass out?
The referee’s job is for his eyes to be on the ball at all times, he follows the ball. While other players might wait for the ball to come to them, he has to follow it while also monitoring everything going on around him. So you see why I say that he might even be more fit than the players themselves?
So, why am I talking about this today? I saw a video online showing a player who was injured during a football game, and as expected, paramedics were called, and eventually, they arrived, running into the field. But one of them was plus-sized, and she wasn’t running. She was simply taking her time to take the strides, like she couldn’t be bothered. That’s when I realized that, judging by how wide the field is, as a medical practitioner who also works in the sports industry, you have to be able to run across a football field, and still be able to do your job when you get to the injured player.
Imagine running over a considerable distance, something that would make most people lose their breath. But they won’t stop to catch their breath or get themselves back, no. They’d instead focus on treating the patient. I remember running one time, and when I stopped, my legs were trembling, my fingers were shaking, and my chest felt like it would explode. That was before I started taking fitness seriously.
And now, I have to wonder, is there a sports game that can be played without being fit? Even professional golfers take it as seriously as footballers and basketballers do. Everyone involved in the games has to be fit. From the guy who picks up the excess balls to the officials on the side. Hell, I think even some of the cameramen also have to be fit as well. Because sports are a fast game, and you’d have to be able to keep up if you want to be able to do your job.
Of course, I’m not really a sports fan or person, this post was made based on my limited knowledge of the game, so I might be wrong. I’m open to criticism in that regard. And is there an overarching message in here? I don’t think so, something simply struck my mind while seeing the video and I thought to share. But if I were to leave you with one thing, it’d be that fitness is really important.
You won’t know when you suddenly have to get to your feet and run. That’s just life.
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