Sports are a thing that many people love, and others hate. Those who hate sports might have no real grounds for their dislike, just that they never really got into them as a kid.
That doesn’t mean that when you get older, you can’t start to find your way into the world of sport. It might seem like an unapproachable world from the outside, but there are plenty of ways for everyone to get involved, whether you want to play or watch from the sideline.
It is a great way to socialise and, if one of your new year’s resolutions was to get into shape, joining a sports team might help you.
Below we will look at some of the reasons why you might want to consider getting into sport, and then we will discuss how you can get involved:
What are the benefits of playing a sport?
We all know that it is important for us to stay active, especially as we get older. Playing a team sport can help with this. It can be difficult to stay motivated to exercise when you do it on your own, but if you have a group of people expecting you, who you enjoy spending time with, it can be easier to find the motivation to go out and be active.
There are many other benefits of play sport other than the fact that it keeps you active:
- Commitment to have fun – there are plenty of obligations in our lives, but the time you commit to a sport that you love is a commitment to have fun. It is separate from the pressures of work and family and gives you the chance to forget all of your stress and let off some steam. Give yourself some me-time.
- Boost your confidence – Playing a sport can make you feel really good about yourself. You will be able to see the improvements in your ability the more you play, and you will be able to notice when you become fitter. There is nothing better than the feeling of mastering something new.
- Allows you to be social – As an adult, you may not get much of a chance to socialise with people outside of work, so being part of a sports team is a perfect excuse. You might get to meet people, but by playing a new sport, there is no pressure to make friends, just to play a good game together and have some fun.
- It is good for your mental health – All aspects of playing a team sport are good for your mental health. The exercise can help you to produce more endorphins, and the social aspect will make sure that you are going out of the house and seeing people. It can also be great for your ability to focus and your self-esteem.
What are the benefits of watching a sport?
You might not think that being a sports fan could have any benefits for your health, but there are actually quite a few:
- It can reduce risk depression – Being a sports fan can be good for your mental health as it gives you a sense of belonging to a team, which can help to combat loneliness. Sports fans usually have friends and family who also like sports, so it encourages them to spend time with each other instead of isolating themselves. Having an attachment for a team also helps you to keep a keen interest in events in the world.
- Keeps your mind active – When you are a sports fan, you may spend some of your time predicting how the games will go. This requires you to analyse a range of different factors, so it is a great way to keep your mind active.
- Inspire you to be more active – Watching people play sports could encourage you to be more active. You might want to try some of the skills that you have seen players do, or you might like the idea of being part of a team.
How do you find the right sport for you?
If you haven’t been a sporty person, it can be difficult to know where to start when looking for a sport that you can play. Sometimes it is as simple as going for something that you think seems interesting.
In other cases, it might be that you have to try to research what opportunities there are in your local area. Just because you think that you were bad at sports at school, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try. There are always opportunities out there for you to get involved in.
Have a look at your local leisure centre or sports centre. They could have badminton sessions, basketball training, football training, or dance classes. There is no harm in just playing for fun; nobody expects you to be an athlete.
The more that you go to a training session or class, the better you will become. Even if you progress slowly, you will notice the difference from your first practice.
How do you get over the fear of going to the first session?
Going to your first training session or class can feel intimidating. You don’t know what the environment is going to be like, what the people are going to be like, or exactly what is going to be involved.
Most people will be at least a little nervous at the prospect, but that shouldn’t stop you from going and having a go. Once you get through the initial nerves and anxiety, you may find out that you loved it and had absolutely nothing to worry about it, and if you didn’t like it, you never have to go back again.
- Be positive – It can be challenging to do, but instead of letting your mind go over all the things that could go wrong, try to think of some positives instead. Tell yourself that you are fulfilling a goal, or that you should be excited to try something new. Maybe let yourself get excited about the new people you could meet. It’s okay to have some worries, just try not to let them take over.
- Bring a friend – If you are particularly nervous about trying something new, you could ask a friend to go with you. It may not be something that they want to do regularly, but they could go with you to the first one as a bit of moral support. If a friend can’t come with you, tell them about it and update them about how it went afterward. They will be able to celebrate your achievement of going and cheer you up if it wasn’t what you expected.
- Contact the team or class beforehand – Contacting the team or class beforehand will ensure that you are okay to go to the session, and it will inform them that someone new will be there. It will also allow you to ask any questions about the type of activities you will be doing and any equipment that you need to bring so that you can feel fully prepared.
Getting involved in sports without playing
You can get involved in sports without having to play for a team. There may be things that prevent you from actually playing the sport, or you might just enjoy spectating instead of watching. Here are somethings that you can do instead:
- Support your local club – Supporting your local sports team will help you to feel a newfound love for where you are from, and pride for the players that are representing it. You can support your local club by going to matches. Local teams are usually in lower leagues, so tickets are cheaper, but a lot more of the money goes to helping the club. You can also wear t-shirts and other clothing items to show your support.
- Become a referee or umpire – If you love a sport and know a lot about it, you might want to get more involved by becoming a referee or umpire. There may be a few tests that you have to take to prove that you have the knowledge, but this can be a great way to get involved in a game without actually having to play.
- Get involved in sweepstakes – Sweepstakes are things that you can do with your friends or get involved with online. Everyone puts in some money and then gets allocated a team from a league. The person who has the team that wins the league gets the money at the end. You can also put bets on for different sports including online sporting events like NHL.
- Watch games with your friends – The best way to get involved with sports without actually playing them is to watch them with your friends or family. It can be a great way to build a stronger bond with someone and feel a sense of unity together. It is also a great excuse to go out for some food and a drink or invite them to your house for a catch-up.
There are so may ways to get involved in sports these days and the benefits are definitely worth the effort!
Leave a Reply