The Washington Capitals ended not only a franchise but a city-wide drought of 26 years without a championship on Thursday night in Las Vegas.

Countless videos of fan reactions spanning from strangers, friends, and family soaking in the moment spread across the Internet in the final hours. The celebration videos contained a genuine joy that translated across phone, computer, and TV screens where truly only other long-suffering fans can relate to.

This is why people fall in love with sports.

Despite whatever opinion residents might have had with the recent elections, cultural preferences or religious beliefs that people may have, for a few hours, fans can enjoy the art of competition.

It’s a passion that can be therapeutic to participate or spectate in after a long day, it’s a passion that can bridge a gap and bring family members closer together. It’s a passion that encourages people to live a healthy lifestyle.

Sports can make a 14-year-old an overnight celebrity, allow a student to attend any college they please or put a national spotlight on an individual anywhere in the country even in the Greater Valley Area. At the community center, sports helps preserve the mind of an elder. During all-day youth tournaments, sports keep citizens of all ages out of trouble and away from dangerous addictions, even if just for a few minutes.

Sports can start a conversation or change an entire family’s life. The competitiveness that stems from sports can inspire and ignite the next game-changing idea for the next generation. Sports can serve as a distraction to depression, loneliness, anxiety or any other conditions for just a few moments.

The feeling of winning a championship rivals all other benchmarks in life’s moments. The hunger to win a championship develops a drive that can teach someone it is possible to achieve anything in life if a goal is set with the necessary steps completed before achieving that goal.

Just like anything else you love in life, sports can make you cry and smile all at the same moment because they mean just that much.