Nature vs. Nurture

Athleticism, otherwise know as an active interest in sports or an obsessive participation in physical activity seems to engulf my life. This characteristic resembles active, but includes the athletic and a physical activity associated with engaging in an action. Although being athletic seems as simple as tossing a ball around the backyard, it’s difficult to measure the amount fitness and effort required for a completive competition such as a marathon. It’s also important to consider calculating the athletic statistics and achievements of an individual throughout a game or even an entire career. Athleticism can be evaluated be observing an athlete’s performance levels during multiple stages of a football or soccer match.

To begin with, nature contributes a large part of my athleticism. Surely environmental aspects affect this characteristic, but biological influences have a key role in athletic ability. For the most part, the contour of the body is a major genetic component associated with athleticism. A person’s height, body mass, and overall shape of the body play an important role in athletic ability. For example, someone who is short and is born from a smaller size family will have a difficult time playing basketball or any other type of physical activity demanding height. After several studies on the amount of scoring of professional basketball players under six foot, there is evidence that their bodies are a major hinder resulting in low points per game average compared to taller players.

There is a limit on how much a person can improve their body from its original form. Anyone can increase and improve strength, speed, and stamina, but one can’t alter the genetic makeup of their body. While gathering information on sprinters, it’s difficult to determine a specific genetic makeup that adds an advantage, because there is drastic variation of sizes among most sprinters. Some people are fortunate to be born will athletic bodies that perform certain task that many would find challenge, but people can’t forget that practice makes a person better. A Not only is there a physical aspect of athleticism, but also a mental part. Many likes and dislikes are associated with genetic components. Although hard to prove, peoples mindset and interests are somewhat developed from birth and have a related genetic makeup of parents. It’s rare to see someone born into an athletic family, and partake in music and arts, although it’s possible since environmental influences tend to shape most interests.

As for me, I was born into a family with average height, and overall athletic features. Nearly six generation of my family is associated with sports and other athletic events. As I age, my figure is identical mirage of my father as a young adult. My height and weight represent the genetic makeup of my parents. Also my motivation and mindset towards sports and physical activity reflects their childhood. The close genetic link between my parents and I create a similar mindset towards athletics. Athleticism is a major aspect of my life and has been since birth. As a kid, instead of playing with toys, I would throw a ball or run around the yard. I was born with the desire to participate in sports, as well as my physical figure, which are the basic biological traits of an athlete.

However, nurture is a key aspect of athleticism. Generally environmental influences shape our lives and characteristics in multiple ways. Although it might seem like biological influences are more important, but environmental influences such as location, surrounding interests, accessibility, consistency, and family history are all main aspects that manipulate characteristics. Fortunately for me, I have the privilege of growing up in a house with a pond in the backyard. My family is dedicated to hockey, and every winter we always shovel off the snow and construct a rink. An experiment with multiple families shows children growing up tend to embrace the atmosphere and interests within the house more than most outside influences. Polls taken indentify that most kids feel comfortable and satisfied with family ties. Since I was young hockey was the main sport in my life, and I grew accustom with skating every winter eventually maturing into a quality hockey player. The greater exposure towards the sport allowed me to become much familiar with the game, which in the end increased my athleticism.

Although interest and mindset have a biological component, approaches of fellow piers are an environmental aspect as well. As a person develops through childhood, surrounding interests can shape and influence their personal likes and dislikes. Coming from a family that worships athletics, everyday I am constantly asked about sports and other athletic events. My father plays hockey weekly and my mother is a coach of my local high school basketball, so throughout my life I have followed their footsteps in the athletic atmosphere. My interest towards certain sports is very similar with my fathers. Watching my grandfather and father embrace the sport of hockey I grew fond of the sport and felt like I was required to play. It seems I grew up in the spotlight of athleticism, and it was only time before it developed as my main characteristic. Not only do immediate family members influence characteristics, but also friends and popular icons contribute to environmental influences.

People tend to see familiar person accomplish a task, and suddenly gain interest in whatever the task was. Although interests are persuasive, a test shows that when people see an iconic individual perform a task, many feel optimistic and tend to stray away instead of being attracted. If a majority of friends take part in an activity, surely a person will feel inclined to join or participate. When I was young I felt obligated to play hockey or soccer because I saw most of my friends involved with sports. The environment surrounding an individual is constantly persuading characteristics such as athleticism to fit a particular interest. In today’s society characteristic are shaped by biological and environmental influences. From birth there is a similar genetic link of interests developed from parents, which will eventually get manipulated even further by environmental influences. Obviously the body is a key part towards athleticism, but how persistent and determined a person is may contribute even more towards the characteristic. Athleticism from the moment of birth is influenced by the way I am nurtured and exposed to the world, but also the genetic makeup and contour of my body. For the most part, the bodily figure lays limitations on athletic ability, but environmental influences can help shape and aid in the process of developing athleticism.