Why Sports Matter: Insights from Angela Rohe

My earliest memory involving sports was always helping my family make our fantasy football draft board. Every year my aunt was there and she usually created one of the top teams. She has definitely had the biggest influence on me surrounding sports because of her intense knowledge, love, and dedication for sports, always seemed very interesting to me. When I started playing sports like softball and basketball my aunt was always at my games cheering me on, taking me to games, and even more recently she has come to my cheer competitions and I have felt her support the whole time. My aunt has immensely influenced me and my love for sports and has definitely opened my eyes to why sports matter.

This question of why do sports matter is a very important question that can differ for everyone, and my aunt. Angela Rohe, 43 years old, born and raised in the Bronx, NY. Oldest child of three, with a younger sister and brother. Who describes herself as a huge fan of sports, who loves football, baseball, basketball, golf, and WWE wrestling. Is the best person to ask this question to.

Q: What was your earliest memory involving sports?

A: I would say around 6-7 years old. My earliest memory involving sports would probably be football Sundays and WWE Saturday mornings. My love for football developed later in life, but my wrestling fandom started early on.

Q: Who had the biggest Influence on you involving sports?

A: I don’t really have one specific person who influenced my love for sports. I think my love for sports was always in me. I loved following them as much as playing them. Playing always came naturally to me. I was good at it, and it gave me confidence.

Q: Do you think you had a big impact on someone else's connection to sports?

A: Yes, I would say my love and passion for sports had a major influence on my younger brother. He is just as, if not more, passionate than I am. I like to say I created a sports monster.

Q: How did you discover the teams you root for?

A: My Fandom, for the most part, has not changed since I was young, except for the New York Mets. I loved Roberto Alomar as a kid, so I was a huge Toronto Blue jays fan. The Blue Jays were also pretty good around this time, winning back-to-back World Series in 1992 and 1993. I always liked the Mets and watched them all the time, but I would say I was a Blue Jays fan first. As I got older and understood the games more, my love for the Mets grew as well.

Basketball was my favorite sport when I was a kid. It was the time of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Shaq, which I feel is still the greatest time in basketball history to this point. The NY Knicks were my favorite team, and Patrick Ewing was my favorite Knicks Player.

My love for the San Francisco 49ers was because of THE GOAT Jerry Rice. To me, he is still the greatest player to have ever played the game. I loved his work ethic and how he approached each game.

I would say I became a Liberty fan because I was hoping to catch the same magic the Knicks provided to the city. I was lucky enough to live in a city that had a women’s professional basketball team. I wasn’t going to look anywhere but the Liberty. It also helped that the Liberty had Teresa Weatherspoon.

Q: What connection do you have to those teams?

A: My Grandfather, dad, and uncle were all Mets fans, so I would say they had the biggest impact on me becoming a Mets fan. I also was a huge fan of Rey Ordonez. I have always been a really good baseball player, but unlike most kids, I loved to play defense. Rey Ordonez was all about defense.

The Knicks were New York’s only basketball team at the time, and we could all root as one. That made it magical.

This drove me to do the same in the sports that I played. If you want to be the best, you have to outwork everyone else and earn it.

I remember when the WNBA first started. Being a young woman who loved and was obsessed with sports, it showed me there were possibilities out there for women. The world was progressing , and I wasn’t alone in my love of sports. Seeing women just like me go out and pursue their dreams was amazing. I remember getting my first Liberty jersey and never wanting to take it off.

Q: Which are you most connected to? And why?

A: If I had to choose the team I am most connected to, I would probably go with the Mets, which is strange since I didn’t start off as a Mets fan. I am the type of person who always roots for the underdog. The NY Mets were always that team (not anymore, thank you Uncle Stevie and Tia Alex). I have attended too many games to count, and the memories I have made at both Shea Stadium and Citi Field hold a special place in my heart. From the connection to my grandfather to the fandom I share with my brother, being a Mets fan is not for the weak, but I will die bleeding the orange and blue.

Q: What is your all time favorite sport to watch?

A: This is a tough question for me. Younger me would have said basketball without even thinking, but the game of basketball has changed over the years. The NBA is not the same product it once was, and while I understand time changes everything, I don’t feel the NBA has improved. It has become a game that the refs control, and the sport has softened. Now that I am older, I have different answers for different reasons. My favorite sport to watch on TV is football, but my favorite to watch in person is baseball.

Q: Why is that your favorite?

A: Baseball brings the warmth of the sun, the smell of the grass, and the sound of the pitch hitting the catcher’s glove. All of those things bring back memories of playing as a kid. The memories I share with my brother going to games and cheering the Mets on, vowing to never leave a game until it is officially over. As I mentioned before, being a Mets fan is not for the weak. It’s a community and a fandom unlike any other. Part of a perfect day is going to the game with my scorebook or scorecard and spending the next 3-plus hours charting and cheering.

Q: What has been your all time favorite moment or memory in sports?

A: This is another tough one for me. When you love sports as much as I do, the moments start to pile up. I have seen the 49ers win a couple of Super Bowls, which was amazing. They happened when I was a kid, so I don’t think I could fully appreciate what that meant. So, it would be nice if they can finally win one again. Let’s get it done, boys! With that said, my favorite moment would have to be Joe Carter’s walk-off 3-run home run in the World Series. My favorite memory would have to be going to David Wright’s final game of his career and getting his autograph.

Q: Why is it that moment?

A: That moment is what kids all across the world dream of. To be able to witness that happen is something I will never forget. The best part was sharing the moment with my brother, my Mets partner in crime. No matter how many sports memories or moments I have in the future, these are two that I will keep with me forever.

Q: What player do you admire the most?

A: These are all really tough questions for me. If I have to choose one, it would probably be Roberto Clemente. There are many athletes that I admire for their work ethic, determination, talent, etc.

Q: Why?

A: Clemente was more than just sports; he was a great humanitarian. After the 1972 season, where he had his 3,000th career hit (and last regular season hit of his career) against John Matlack of the NY Mets (figures it would be the Mets ), he passed away in a plane crash. When Managua, Nicaragua experienced a massive earthquake, Clemente immediately set into motion emergency relief flights to help bring aid to the people of Managua. After learning the first three flights didn’t make it because of government corruption, he decided he would board the next flight in an attempt to prevent the aid from being diverted. The plane crashed due to engine failure right after takeoff. Not only was Clemente a baseball hero, but he was also a beautiful soul.

“Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you

are wasting your time on Earth.” – Roberto Clemente.

For me, this is important because not only do I want to be great at sports, but I also want to be remembered as someone who cared about the well-being of others. Clemente is someone who did both.

Q: What Impact has sports had on your life? (both positive and negative)

A: Sports have always been important to me. They have been a part of my life as long as I can remember. They were a place I could go and be successful, a place to learn, and have provided an escape throughout my life. I also think it is the one part of my life that I have not experienced any negative impacts. Failures, sure, but I don’t see those as negatives. I see them as learning experiences. Sports gave me a place to be who I am and not have to hide any part of me. For that, I am truly grateful.

Q: Why do you think sports matter?

A: Sports matter because they teach valuable life lessons. They provide a place of belonging and, when used the right way, can foster lifesaving environments. They allow for travel and experiences that some might not ever get to have without them. It is not just a physical thing, a mental thing, or an emotional thing. It’s all of those things. It brings people together, people who might normally not have had a chance to know each other. That alone is worth all the work. It has saved me on more than one occasion in my life. Being a Mets fan has taught me what loyalty looks like. Being a 49ers fan has shown me that you should always expect excellence of yourself. Being a Knicks fan has shown me that all types of people can come together for one cause. Being a Liberty fan has shown me that if you believe in yourself and do the work, you can make anything happen. Being a WWE fan has shown me it is okay to keep that childlike heart going for your whole life. Roberto Clemente taught me to do all I can to be a good person and to help those around me. This is why sports are important. This is why they will always have a special place in my heart and life. Passing that on to others is a gift.

In closing, my aunt has a very deep connection to sports and the importance of sports. She values the lessons that sports teach, the community they make, and the experiences they open for people. All the points she has brought up inspires me even more, and gives me even more appreciation not only for the sports that I play. But also for the sports that I watch.