JAN 115-01 - Live Like You Play: A Philosophical and Spiritual Approach to Sport and Life

Modality:  In-Person

Level:  100-level

Course Times:  9:15am - 11:55am

Course Materials Fee:  $30

Instructor(s):  Mary Volmer   

Email:  mvolmer@stmarys-ca.edu

Sport at the Service of Humanity, a movement launched during the 2016 Global Conference on Faith and Sport at the Vatican, invites faith and sport leaders from diverse traditions world-wide to embrace the motto: Live Like You Play.

In this Jan Term course, we will consider what it means to “live like you play.” Taking each of the 3 core pillars - Inspiration, Inclusion, and Involvement - of the Sport at the Service of Humanity movement in turn, we’ll examine how sport, a good in and of itself, can become a  vehicle for good in the world. We’ll begin by studying the philosophy and the theology of play and compare competing definitions of terms like: play, sport, and game. We’ll examine (and practice entering into) “flow” states. We’ll consider the ethics of competition and how to establish and maintain a positive “play ethic” in our lives and communities. And as members of a proud Christian Brother’s college, we will also consider the unique spiritual gifts the Lasallian tradition offers athletes and coaches. Throughout, we will examine our own changing relationship to sport and to play and ponder the spiritual and intellectual virtues afforded by athletic participation.

You do not have to be an athlete (aspiring, active, or has-been) to fully participate. Every “body,” no matter your physical gifts or challenges, is welcome. All spiritual, religious, and wisdom traditions are welcome. Like all successful teams, our strength will be a product of our diversity.  

Required Texts:

Jackson, Phil. Sacred Hoops

Kelly, Patrick, SJ. Play, Sport, and Spirit

A Course Reader with selections from:

Ackerman, Diane. Deep Play

Clancy, Kelly. Playing With Reality

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Beyond Boredom and Anxiety

Edgar, Brian. The God Who Plays

Diaz, Natalie. Bodies Built For Game and Postcolonial Love Poem

Feezell, Randolph. Sport, Play, and Ethical Reflection

Huizinga, Johan. Homo Ludens

Rahner, Hugo S.J. Man at Play

Slingerland, Edward. Trying Not To Try

And more…

Prerequisites & Notes
None

Credits: 3