Does age matter when it comes to sports? It all depends on who you ask. There are some who state that older athletes are better than younger ones. As justification, they point out examples of people who are able to continue competing in sports over the age of 60. On the other hand, there are those who believe that athletes have an expiration date. There have been several examples where an athlete made a comeback to compete in their sport only to fall short of expectations, such as LeBron James with the Lakers or Nadal at Roland Garros. It might seem like a silly question with a simple answer, but the truth is that this is a complicated question as there are several aspects to consider.
The loss of agility and strength
With time, you lose strength and speed, which means that it becomes harder to play the same way you did when you were younger. Younger athletes have more energy which translates to more strength and better agility while playing. Of course, there are exceptions to this and I am sure many of you are now thinking of examples of athletes who are able to play incredibly well despite their age. But, these are just exceptions and for the majority of athletes, age unfortunately means the loss of strength and agility.
Injuries
Age matters when it comes to sports because older people can get injured more easily. Older people’s bodies are not as flexible and healthy as younger people’s bodies, so the older you get, the more likely you are to injure yourself during a sport. This is because your muscles and bones have become stiffer over time, which makes them less able to absorb the impact of a fall or blow during an activity. Your joints also become stiffer and harder to move around in certain ways, which can cause pain or injury if they aren’t properly taken care of when working out.
More experience
However, while younger players have advantages when it comes to their physical state, the strength of older players lies elsewhere. Older players are wiser and have developed a better understanding of the sport they’re playing. They’ve learned from their mistakes and know what to do in every situation. They have an advantage over younger players because they’ve played longer and can anticipate what will happen next, whereas younger players are more likely to react on instinct instead of thinking ahead.
