Sports have always been about more than kicking a ball, swinging a bat, or throwing a ball in a hoop.

It’s all about connection.

Week after week, we tune in to witness greatness in action and to hear stories of resilience, sacrifice, determination and grit.

We laugh, we love, we cry, and we celebrate all wins and losses in the process.

Through these stories, we begin to see through the label of “athlete” and recognize each individual for who they are: human.

We are reminded that we all breathe, sweat, and bleed the same.

We are reminded that we can and will uplift each other regardless of our differences.

We are reminded that compassion is stronger than competition.

This is what sports are all about.

It’s time to turn to one another for love and support instead of allowing perceived differences, disinformation, and biases to continue to win. Because at the end of the day, we all play on the same team.

So when the game clock strikes zero, our work isn’t over. We have a new responsibility: to carry this feeling in our daily lives and to remind ourselves and others that we are more alike than different.

And that starts with us.

India Starr is a data-driven storyteller with a passion for strategic communication and creating brand narratives. She is currently in her second year pursuing a Master in Public Relations and Advertising degree at USC Annenberg, where she is a graduate fellowship recipient and serves as a Research Assistant for USC Center for PR. Starr is also a former college athlete, having played women’s basketball at the California State University, Chico.