I would encourage people to participate in sports. You don't

Michelle Kwan, the figure skater whose grace lit the world stage, once spoke with wisdom that transcends medals and arenas: “I would encourage people to participate in sports. You don’t have to dream of being an Olympic or a professional athlete.” In these words lies a truth ancient and eternal — that the value of sport is not bound only to the pursuit of glory, but to the nurturing of the soul, the discipline of the body, and the joy of human striving.

At its root, sports are not about crowns or applause. Long before stadiums and cameras, our ancestors ran across fields, wrestled in the dust, or hurled stones — not for fame, but for strength, for unity, for the spirit of play. Kwan reminds us that the essence of sports lies in participation itself, in the act of testing oneself, in learning resilience, and in finding joy in motion. To demand that every child dream only of Olympic heights is to miss the deeper treasure that lies in the simple act of moving and playing.

History offers us the lesson of the Greek Olympics. While the victors’ names were carved in stone, the games themselves belonged to all. It was not only the crowned champion who grew in honor, but every competitor, every man who dared to enter the contest. Even those who did not win tasted the fire of discipline, the brotherhood of striving, the beauty of a body tested by will. Kwan’s words echo this ancient truth: greatness is not measured only by medals, but by the courage to participate.

So too in life do we find this lesson. Consider the story of a simple schoolchild who joins a team — not to be the best in the world, but to learn teamwork, to build confidence, to feel the rhythm of striving alongside others. That child may never stand atop a podium, yet the lessons they carry — perseverance in defeat, humility in victory, and joy in the game — will serve them in every chapter of life. Michelle Kwan, who herself reached the very heights of Olympic competition, reminds us that this humble, universal benefit of sports is as important as the rarefied air of champions.

There is also a deeper warning in her words. When the world idolizes only the professional athlete, many turn away, believing they are unworthy to play. They forget that sports are for all: for the young and the old, for the swift and the slow, for the dreamer and the worker. A father playing with his child, neighbors gathering for a friendly game, friends running together at dawn — all of these carry the same essence as the Olympic stage. Kwan calls us back to this reality: that participation itself is the true prize.

What then is the lesson for us? That we must not measure the worth of play by the heights of achievement, but by the depth of engagement. In every practice, in every game, in every run beneath the rising sun, we cultivate discipline, joy, and health. We grow closer to one another, and closer to the strength that lies within ourselves.

Practical action flows easily from this wisdom: seek out opportunities to move, to play, to join. Do not ask, “Will I be the best?” but rather, “Will I grow? Will I find joy? Will I learn?” Encourage children to play without the heavy burden of distant crowns, encourage elders to move for the sake of health and happiness. Let sports be not the possession of the few, but the heritage of all.

Thus Michelle Kwan’s words shine as both comfort and challenge. Comfort, because they remind us that we are not required to be Olympians to find value in play. Challenge, because they call us to act, to participate, to take up the opportunity that lies before us. For in sports, as in life, the measure of greatness is not always the medal, but the spirit that dares to move, to try, and to grow.