Creativity in Sports

Although most people would not associate creativity with sports, it is very much ingrained into every part. Athletes who can see the passing lanes before anyone else or visualize a play before it even develops are examples of how creativity can directly influence the outcome of each game. In my opinion, following as a fan is a very interesting experience in observing the creative side of sports because you can follow how creative destruction can impact the game.

Take for example the revolution of baseball due to sabermetrics. By introducing advanced statistics, teams began to prefer a certain style of play, which led to a major shift in the demographics of the league. Basketball and focus on efficiency, along with football and physical testing are other great examples of how non-athletes have affected the athletes. By brainstorming and debating the different trends and schools of thought, I find myself also finding more creative solutions that become opinion as a fan.

 

On Competition

I’ve had an amazing opportunity over the winter to visit San Francisco with the Lehigh Silicon Valley program. Whether it was software giants like Adobe or fast-growing FinTech companies like Square, the companies that I got to meet were gleaming with innovative ideas and drive to create. One thing that I learned from my time in San Francisco is that healthy competition really brings out creativity. Given similar circumstances and resources, competitors must turn to creative solutions in order to gain an advantage and succeed. Having a rival brings out the creative plays from an athlete and critical acclaim motivates innovative filmmaking. What challenges you to be more creative? Who is your biggest critic?