Project One: The Reflection

          My introduction to organized sports came when I was just five years old. While some are pressured by their parents to participate at a young age, I begged mine so I could play. From the moment I had the opportunity to step onto a baseball diamond I was entranced by the aspect of being an athlete, but I had never stopped to bother and ask the question "why?" While self-reflection would likely have sufficed, I was innately curious as to the reasons why others played the sports that they do, and used hockey, my favorite sport, as a focus for my studies. Throughout Project One I was granted the chance to see why others enjoy the sport of ice hockey, and learn about how everyone experiences and learns about the sport in their own way and at their own pace. In my studies, I was granted the chance to look into my own experiences and see how they related to others who played the game. While sports are a chance to get active, they are also an incredibly social activity, in almost all possible permutations of the word. I discovered that this combination was what drew me to sports, and has been the biggest draw ever since I first held a bat. I also learned about psychological needs, and how different aspects of hockey can fulfill these needs on different levels. But my studies also opened doors to other questions. With my interest in computer learning and programming I began to wonder if it was possible for a computer to learn to play a sport. Further, would it ever be possible for a computer to "enjoy" playing? These are questions that lead me toward what I wanted to look into for Project Two.