Izinkinga Ngezemidlalo Namuhla
ABANTU babevame ukuphikisa ngokuthi ezemidlalo zazibalulekile ngoba zaziphucula ubuntu. Babethi imidlalo yayithuthukisa ukwazisa ngokuzikhandla, umoya wabadlali, nenjabulo yokudlala. Kodwa kwabaningi namuhla, ukuphikisa okunjalo kuzwakala kungenangqondo, kuwukuzenzisa ngisho nokuzenzisa.
Ukugcizelelwa kokuwina ikakhulukazi kuyinkinga. Umagazini iSeventeen ubiza lokhu ngokuthi “uhlangothi olubi lwezemidlalo.” Ngani? Ngoba, lomagazini uthi, “ukuwina kukunyathelela phansi ukukhathalela ukwethembeka, umsebenzi wesikole, impilo, injabulo, nezinye izici eziningi zokuphila ezibalulekile. Ukuwina kuba yikho konke.”
Okuhlangenwe nakho kukaKathy Ormsby, umsubathi ongumpetha wasekholiji eU.S., kwasetshenziswa ukuze kufanekiswe imiphumela edabukisayo yokugcizelelwa ngokweqile kokuphumelela kwezemidlalo. NgoJune 4, 1986, emasontweni ambalwa ngemva kokubeka irekhodi lesizwe labesifazane basekholiji emncintiswaneni wokugijima wamamitha angu-10 000, uKathy waphuma emzileni ngenkathi encintisana emncintiswaneni weNCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), wagijimela ebhulohweni eliseduze, futhi wagxumela phansi ezama ukuzibulala. Wasinda, kodwa wakhubazeka kusukela okhalweni kuya phansi.
UScott Pengelly, isazi sokusebenza kwengqondo eselapha abadlali, waphawula ukuthi uKathy akuyena yedwa. Ngemva komzamo kaKathy wokuzibulala, uPengelly wabika: “Ngangishayelwa izingcingo ezazithi, ‘Nami ngizizwa njengaye.’” Futhi omunye umdlali, uMary Wazeter waseYunivesithi yaseGeorgetown, owabeka irekhodi lesizwe labaneminyaka yobudala elinganayo lengxenye yemarathon, naye wazama ukuzibulala ngokugxuma esebhulohweni futhi wakhubazeka kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe.
Ukucindezela kokuwina, ukwenza njengoba kulindelekile, kungaba kukhulu, futhi imiphumela yokwehluleka ingaba ebhubhisayo. UDonnie Moore, umphonsi webhola ongumpetha weCalifornia Angels, wayesele ngebhola elilodwa ukuze afake iqembu lakhe kuWorld Series ka-1986 webaseball. Kodwa umshayi webhola weqembu laseBoston walishaya wakwazi ukuzungeza, iqembu laseBoston lawuwina umdlalo kanye nomncintiswano weAmerican League. UDonnie, lowo ngokwabangane bakhe owayekhathazeke kakhulu ngokwehluleka kwakhe, wazidubula futhi wafa.
Ukuncintisana Okweqile
Inkinga ehlobene naleyo ngezemidlalo namuhla iwukuncintisana okweqile. Eqinisweni, akulona ihaba ukuthi abancintisanayo bangaphenduka izilo. Lapho engumpetha wesibhakela esisindweni sosondo-nzima, uLarry Holmes wathi kwakudingeka ashintshe lapho engena enkundleni. “Kumelwe ngibushiye ngaphandle ubuhle,” echaza, “ngingene nabo bonke ububi.” Abadlali bahlakulela ukuphoqelela okweqile bezama ukuvimbela abanye abanesiphiwo esilinganayo nesabo ekubeni babahlule.
Owayengumqeqeshi webhola lezinyawo wake wathi: “Kumelwe ube nalowomoya ovuthayo kuwe, futhi akukho okubhebhezela lowomoya ovuthayo njengoba kwenza inzondo.” Ngisho nowayengumongameli waseU.S. uRonald Reagan kubikwa ukuthi wake watshela iqembu lebhola lezinyawo lasekholiji: “Ningaba nenzondo ehlanzekile ngalabo enincintisana nabo. Iyinzondo ehlanzekile ngoba ibonakaliswa isikipa kuphela.” Kodwa ingabe ngempela kuhle ukuhlakulela inzondo ngoncintisana naye?
UBob Cousy, owayengumdlali ongumpetha webhola lomnqakiswano weBoston Celtics, wake walandisa ngesabelo sakhe sokuqapha uDick Barnett, umdlali owayefaka amagoli amaningi weLos Angeles Lakers. “Ngahlala ekamelweni lami kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba sebusuku,” kusho uCousy. “Engangikwenza nje kwakuwukucabanga ngoBarnett, ngokwengxenye ngicabangela indlela yokumvimba futhi ngokwengxenye ngihlakulela inzondo ngaye. Ngesikhathi ngingena enkundleni, ngase ngivutha kangangokuthi ukuba uBarnett wayethe ‘sawubona’ cishe ngangiyomkhahlela amazinyo.”
Iqiniso liwukuthi, abadlali ngokuvamile bazama ngamabomu ukukhubaza abancintisana nabo, futhi bayavuzwa ngokwenza kanjalo. UIra Berkow, umlobeli wephephandaba wezemidlalo, wathi umdlali webhola lezinyawo ongalimaza umdlali ongakolunye uhlangothi aphume emdlalweni “[abadlali akanye nabo] bayamanga futhi bampotoze ngokwenza umsebenzi omuhle. Uma eye walimaza abanele, . . . ekupheleni kwenkathi yokudlala uvuzwa ngokukhushulelwa umholo noma, ngabadlali abangavelele, umsebenzi owengeziwe. Kungaleyondlela abadlali abaziqhenya ngayo ngamagama abo okukhuzelwa, njengelithi Mbazo Joe Greene, Jack (uMbulali) Tatum,” njalonjalo.—INew York Times, kaDecember 12, 1989.
UFred Heron, odlala emuva weqembu lebhola lezinyawo laseSt. Louis, walandisa: “Abaqeqeshi basitshela ukuthi umdlali ofaka amagoli [weCleveland Browns] wayenentamo elimele. Basikisela ukuthi, uma ngithola ithuba, kufanele ngimlimaze aphume emdlalweni. Ngakho phakathi nomdlalo ngaphuma kubadlali abaklelile, ngadlula kodlala phakathi nolindayo, futhi ngambona laphaya. Ngazama ukumnqamula ikhanda ngengalo yami, futhi waliyeka ibhola. Abeqembu lami bangincoma. Kodwa ngabuka lowomdlali ephansi ngokusobala esezinhlungwini. Ngokushesha ngacabanga, ‘Sengiphenduke uhlobo oluthile lwesilwane? Lona umdlalo, kodwa ngizama ukukhubaza othile.’” Futhi uHeron waphawula: “Izibukeli zazingishayela ihlombe.”
Abaningi bakhala ngokuthi ukulimala okubangelwa ukuncintisana okweqile kuyinkinga eyinhloko ngezemidlalo namuhla. Ngokudabukisayo, izigidi zalokhu kulimala zihilela abantwana abangeniswa besebancane ekudlaleni kokuncintisana okukhulu. NgokweConsumer Product Safety Commission yaseU.S., minyaka yonke abantwana abayizigidi ezine belashwa emawodini esimo esiphuthumayo ngenxa yokulimala okubangelwe ezemidlalo futhi abanye abalinganiselwa ezigidini eziyisishiyagalombili belashwa odokotela bemikhaya.
Abantwana abaningi manje babhekene nokulimala kokusebenza ngokweqile, okwakungabonwa ngokuvamile eminyakeni yangaphambili. Lapho abantwana babedlalela ubumnandi nje, babeya ekhaya uma belimele futhi bangadlali futhi kuze kube yilapho ubuhlungu sebuphelile. Kodwa kwezemidlalo ezihleliwe, ezincintisana kakhulu, abantwana ngokuvamile bayaqhubeka bedlala, belimaza izingxenye zomzimba esezibuhlungu kakade. Ngokokusho kowayengumphonsi webhola ongumpetha webaseball uRobin Roberts, abantu abadala bayimbangela eyinhloko yalenkinga. “Babacindezela ngokweqile—ngokwengqondo nangokomzimba—abantwana esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuba bakulungele lokho.”
Imali Nokukhohlisa
Enye inkinga ngezemidlalo iwukuthi imali isiye yaba ukukhathalela okubusayo. Ukuhaha esikhundleni somoya wabadlali nokudlalisana kahle manje kubonakala kubusa ezemidlalo. “Kuyadabukisa ukubika ukuthi ubumsulwa bezemidlalo banyamalala ngokuphelele phakathi kwawo-1980,” kukhalaza umlobi wephephandaba weDenver Post uJay Mariotti. “Zingena eminyakeni yawo-1990 njengamandla amakhulu empucukweni yethu, imboni enkulu ngokumangalisayo, yezigidigidi zama[Randi] (eqinisweni, [yamaRandi ayizigidi eziyinkulungwane ezingu-173,5], engeyama-22 ngobukhulu eMelika) kangangokuthi ngezinye izikhathi ichazwa kangcono njengebhizinisi elikhwabanisayo.”
Ngonyaka odlule abadlali abayinhloko abangu-162 benhlangano yebaseball eUnited States—abangaphezu koyedwa kwabayisihlanu babo—ngamunye wenza amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu, cishe amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-8 ewumholo ophakeme. Manje, onyakeni kamuva, abadlali abangaphezu kuka-120 ngamunye uyokhokhelwa amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-5,5, kuhlanganise nabangu-32 abayobutha amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-8 emunye, futhi okungenani umuntu uyobe ethola amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-14, kusukela ngo-1992 kuze kube ngo-1995 unyaka ngamunye! Ukunxanela imali nemiholo emikhulu sekuye kwaba okuvamile nakweminye imidlalo.
Ngisho nakwezemidlalo zasekholiji, ngokuvamile kugcizelelwa emalini. Abaqeqeshi abawinayo bavuzwa kakhulu, njengoba benza imali efinyelela emaRandini ayizigidi ezintathu ngonyaka ngomholo nasemalini abayithola kwababakhangisela imikhiqizo. Izikole ezimaqembu azo ebhola lezinyawo afanelekela imidlalo yasekupheleni konyaka yompetha eUnited States zithola izigidi eziningi zamaRandi—izigidi ezingu-151 onyakeni wamuva. “Iqembu lebhola lezinyawo nelebhola lomnqakiswano kumelwe enze imali,” kuchaza umongameli wasekholiji uJohn Slaughter, “futhi kumelwe awine ukuze enze imali.” Lokhu kuphumela emjikelezweni wonya lapho ukuwina kuba okubusayo—kube nemiphumela ebhubhisayo.
Njengoba imisebenzi yabadlali bebhola abakhokhelwayo ixhomeke ekuwineni, ngokuvamile benza cishe noma yini ukuze bawine. “Akusezona ezemidlalo,” kusho owayengumpetha webaseball uRusty Staub. “Sekuyibhizinisi lonya, elingokoqobo.” Ukukhohlisa kuyasakazeka. “Uma ungakhohlisi, usuke ungazami nakuzama ukuwina,” kuchaza umdlali webaseball uChili Davis. “Wenza okusemandleni akho uma nje ungabanjwa,” kusho umdlali weNew York Mets uHoward Johnson.
Ngaleyondlela isici sokuziphatha asinakwa, futhi lokhu kuyinkinga enkulu nakwezemidlalo zasekholiji. “Abanye abaqeqeshi nabaqondisi babadlali bayakhohlisa,” kuvuma uHarold L. Enarson, owayengumongameli weYunivesithi yaseOhio State, “kuyilapho abengameli nabaphathiswa benganaki ngamabomu.” Onyakeni wamuva, amayunivesithi angu-21 eUnited States abhalwa phansi iNational Collegiate Athletic Association ngenxa yokweqa umthetho, namanye amayunivesithi angu-28 ayesahlolwa.
Akumangalisi ukuthi izindinganiso zabadlali abasebasha ziyonakaliswa, okungenye inkinga enkulu ngezemidlalo namuhla. Ukusetshenziswa kwezidakamizwa ukuze kukhuliswe amandla omdlali kuvamile, kodwa ngokuvamile ukuthola imfundo akukhuliswa. Ukuhlola okukhulu kuqinisekisa ukuthi abadlali abasesikoleni abanezimiso eziyinhloko zemidlalo bachitha isikhathi esiningi bedlala umdlalo wabo phakathi nonyaka kunokuba benza ekutadisheni nasekubeni sekilasini. Ukuhlola okwaxhaswa uhulumeni kwathola futhi ukuthi bangaphansana koyedwa kubadlali abayisihlanu abaphothulayo engxenyeni yesithathu yamakholiji namayunivesithi aseMelika anezimiso zabesilisa eziyinhloko zebhola lomnqakiswano.
Ngisho nabadlali abambalwa abangabafundi abaphumelelayo kwezemidlalo ezikhokhelayo ekugcineni futhi bathole amaholo amahle ngokuvame kakhulu baba izilomo ezehlulekayo. Abakwazi ukusingatha izimali zabo nokubhekana nokuphila ngokoqobo. UTravis Williams owafa kuloFebruary odlule ebumpofwini bokungabi nakhaya lapho eneminyaka engu-45 uyisibonelo nje esisodwa. Ngo-1967, lapho edlalela iqembu lebhola lezinyawo iGreen Bay Packers, wabeka irekhodi elisamile lebhola lezinyawo elikhokhelayo laseU.S., ebuyisa amakickoff ngesilinganiso samamitha angu-37,6. Wake waphawula ukuthi ngesikhathi esekholiji “akukaze kudingeke aye ekilasini. Wayeya nje ngenjongo yokuprakthiza nemidlalo.”
Izinkinga Ezihlobene Nezibukeli
Namuhla abantu bachitha isikhathi esiningi bebukela ezemidlalo kunokuba beyidlala, futhi kuye kwadaleka izinkinga ezinkulu. Phakathi kokunye, ukuya emidlalweni ngokuvamile kuhilela ukubhekana nokuziphatha okuhlazisayo ngisho nokunobudlova kwezinye izibukeli. Ukulwa kuvamile esimweni esishukunyiswa umzwelo sezinye izenzakalo zezemidlalo, futhi amakhulu aye alimala nabanye bafa ngesikhathi belapho.
Kodwa namuhla izibukeli eziningi azibibikho ngokoqobo ezenzakalweni zezemidlalo; zizibukela kuyithelevishini. EUnited States, isiteshi sezemidlalo esithatha amahora angu-24 sinikela ngesikhathi esengeziwe ekusakazeni ezemidlalo nsuku zonke kunanoma isiphi seziteshi esizinikelayo ekusakazweni kwezindaba nsuku zonke! Kodwa ingabe ukubukela komuntu ezemidlalo ekusithekeni kwekhaya lakhe akunazinkinga?
Akunjalo neze. “Sekuyiminyaka eminingi umyeni wami azi bonke abantu bezemidlalo ezikhokhelayo,” kuchaza omunye wesifazane, “futhi akuyena yedwa. Bambalwa abangane bakhe abangazibukeli ezemidlalo nsuku zonke. Ubugebengu obukhulu obuhilela lokhu,” kusho lona wesifazane, “buyithonya okunalo kubantwana.” Uyanezela: “Ngiyakucasukela ukuthi umyeni wami usebenzisa isikhathi sakhe somuntu siqu ekubukeleni ezemidlalo ngaphandle kokucabangela mina nabantwana.”
Ingabe lesi isikhalo esiwukuphela kwaso? Lutho neze. Emikhayeni kuyo yonke ingxenye enkulu yomhlaba, kunamalungu omkhaya achitha isikhathi esiningi kakhulu ebukele ezemidlalo ngenxa yalokho adebeselele amanye amalungu omkhaya. Omunye umama wekhaya waseBrazil ubonisa umphumela oyingozi: “Uthando nokwethembana phakathi kwendoda nomfazi kungadebeselelwa kancane kancane, kubeke umshado engozini.”
Abashisekeli bezemidlalo ngokuvamile abalinganiseli nangezinye izindlela. Ngokuvamile bakhulekela abadlali, okuyilokho abanye abadlali ngokwabo abakubheka njengenkinga. “Lapho ngingena edolobheni lakithi, abantu bama lapho futhi bangigqolozela njengokungathi balindele izibusiso ezivela kuPapa,” kuphawula umpetha wethenisi waseJalimane uBoris Becker. “Lapho ngibheka emehlweni abalandeli bami . . . ngacabanga ukuthi ngangibheke izilwane. Amehlo abo ayethe njó futhi engenakho ukuphila.”
Akukho kungabaza ngakho, ezemidlalo zingaba amandla adonsayo abangela injabulo nokwethembeka okuqinile. Abantu abathakazeliswa nje kuphela umsebenzi weqembu wabadlali namakhono kodwa futhi nawukungaqiniseki komphumela womdlalo. Bafuna ukwazi ukuthi ubani oyowina. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ezemidlalo zinikeza izigidi ukuphumula kulokhu okungase kube ukuphila okuyisidina kuzo.
Nokho, ingabe ezemidlalo zingalethela abantu injabulo? Ingabe zikhona izinzuzo zangempela ezingazinikeza? Futhi ungazigwema kanjani izinkinga ezihlangene nazo?
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Inkolo Yezemidlalo
UTom Sinclair-Faulkner waseCanada uye waphikisa ngokuthi “ihockey yaseqhweni “ingokungaphezu komdlalo nje eCanada: isebenza njengenkolo kwabaningi.” Lokhu kufana nesimo sengqondo esiboniswa abashisekeli abaningi bezemidlalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bahlalaphi.
Ngokwesibonelo, ezemidlalo eUnited States ziye zabizwa ngokuthi “inkolo yezwe eyamukelwayo.” Isazi sokusebenza kwengqondo sezemidlalo uDavid Cox saphawula ukuthi “kunokuhlangana okuningi phakathi kwezemidlalo nencazelo yesichazamazwi yenkolo.” Abanye “abantu baphatha abadlali njengokungathi bangonkulunkulu noma osanta,” kunezela uMnu. Cox.
Abashisekeli bezemidlalo benza ukuzidela okukhulu, benikela ngesikhathi nemali emdlalweni wabo, ngokuvamile kube ukulimala kwemikhaya yabo. Abalandeli banikela ngamahora amaningi bebukela izenzakalo zemidlalo kuthelevishini. Ngokuziqhenya bagqoka imibala yamaqembu abo futhi babukise obala ngezifanekiselo zezemidlalo. Bahlabelela izingoma ngenjabulo futhi bamemeze amaculo ababonakalisa njengabazinikele emdlalweni wabo.
Abadlali abaningi baze ngisho bathandazele isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu ngaphambi komdlalo futhi baguqe ukuze bathandazele ukubonga ngemva kokufaka igoli. Emdlalweni weNdebe Yomhlaba ka-1986, omunye umpetha webhola likanobhutshuzwayo waseArgentina wathi igoli ayelifakile livela esandleni sikaNkulunkulu. Futhi njengabashisekeli abaningi benkolo, abashisekeli bezemidlalo baye babizwa ngisho nangokuthi “abashisekeli abangomashiqela.” Lentshiseko iye yaholela ezimpini ezinegazi, ngezinye izikhathi ezilimazayo, phakathi kwabalandeli abancintisanayo.
Ngokufanayo nenkolo yamanga, “inkolo yezwe” yezemidlalo inikeza abalandeli bayo abashisekayo “osanta,” amasiko, imifanekiso, nemikhuba kodwa ayinikezi njongo yangempela nehlala njalo ekuphileni kwabo.
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Ngokuvamile abadlali bayakhutshazwa
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