For as long as I can remember, I’ve always rooted for some team. As I reflect and write this paper, I have just realized how important sports have been in my life. So many of my core memories and growing moments have come from sports. More than just memories, it provides excitement in my life, something to look forward to that ascends past the constant noise of schoolwork and obligations. This excitement is often shared by other sports fans, and I have also realized how important sports have been in some of the relationships in my life. I truly miss talking about ball in the back of English class with some of my closest friends, and it often was the reason I was able to form these bonds. Sports provide an avenue that transcends boundaries. I have talked about the Packers with random people I meet, from old to young, it does not matter. That shared connection and passion for sports allows people across different scopes of the world to unite over a shared interest and talk about it.
My favorite sport to watch right now is football, and that may be because the season just started. I love the fall mainly because the NFL starts running, and I try not to miss a single Packers game. When people ask me why I like the Packers, I always have to scramble to explain that my grandpa introduced me to football (he lives in Wisconsin), even though I live in Massachusetts. He was the person who showed me the game, and I can still vividly remember every Christmas, sitting on his living room floor watching the Green and Gold on his staticky TV. I don’t see him as often, and his age has changed him, but the Packers will always remind me of him. Those memories are rooted in who I am, and every time I watch the Packers, I feel like I’m right back on his soft carpet rug watching Aaron Rodgers flick the ball downfield, a little kid again.
Over time, football has become the sport I connect with the most outside of my family. Fantasy leagues have been a staple in my life, keeping me in contact with my friends and filling our weeks with laughter and trash talk. It’s also sparked some random connections; something as simple as wearing a Packers hoodie has led to countless conversations. It’s funny, something as small as a logo can instantly turn a total stranger into someone you talk with for an hour. That ability to form bonds is what makes sports so valuable to me.
Baseball, though, baseball really means something else to me. That comes from my dad. When he first came to America, he moved to New York, and the Yankees became his team. Because of him, they became mine too. Growing up, we watched games together almost every night in the living room. Those evenings built my love for baseball and gave me memories I’ll never forget. I still see Jeter, A-Rod, and those old Yankee teams as part of my childhood. Baseball carries more nostalgia for me than any other sport. It’s slower, but that’s part of what makes it beautiful—the way the story of a game unfolds piece by piece. Back then, I even dreamed about playing Division I baseball, and while that dream didn’t come true, the sport still feels like the most personal one to me.
Thinking about my favorite teams, I realize the championships and titles really don’t mean much. Sure, I want to watch the Pack throw the Lombardi Trophy in the air, but the wins aren’t the reason I am a fan. The reason I proudly say I am a fan is because of what the teams represent in my life—my grandpa, my dad, my friends. They carry the weight of memories and relationships, reminders of who I was when I was younger
All this is to say, I believe everyone should give sports a chance. There’s something you just can’t replace about rooting for a team. It truly teleports you away from all the worries of life and gives you stories to share and a way to connect with others. I’ve had conversations in parking lots with older fans swapping stories from decades ago, and I’ve had the same conversations with people my age I just met. Sports don’t care about age or background. They give us something universal to talk about, something to bond over.
In the end, sports are more than just games to me. They connect me to people I love, to memories I’ll never lose, and to complete strangers who share the same passion. That’s why I’ll always love the Packers and the Yankees. And that’s why, when someone asks me what my favorite team is, my answer will always mean more than just a name—it’s a story about who I am, where I come from, and why sports will always matter to me.