SWEETIESAL

Photo by Annie Tsung from Pexels

If your last memories of playing team sports feature a wet playground, a hockey stick, and an angry PE teacher, you’re not alone. Many of us very happily waved goodbye to team sport when we left high school and haven’t given it a second thought since. In fact, many people who have bad memories of sports lessons at school, do very little exercise as adults, and even those of us that still enjoy working out, do it most frequently on our own. 

But, adult team sports, such as Netball, are different. Adults playing in the community or at local sports centres aren’t doing it because they want to go pro or win trophies. While there might be some competition, most people will be there to have fun, learn new skills, get out of the house and make some friends. The atmosphere is different; it is friendly and relaxed. While you might be wearing Netball Dresses, you’re not throwing your teammates to the dogs for a spot in the first team. There are many benefits to giving team sport a second chance, here’s a look at some of them.

THE SOCIAL SIDE

Perhaps the biggest attraction for many is the social aspect of playing in a team. As an adult, it can be hard to make friends, especially if you work at home or don’t have children as an excuse. It can be lonely, especially when your school friends start to drift off to find their own way. Sport is a great way to get out of the house, meet new people, and maintain a regular social engagement. 

IMPROVED HEALTH AND FITNESS

The most obvious benefit is perhaps to your health and fitness. Even with one match and an hour's training a week, you might be doing more exercise than you have in years, and if it is something that you enjoy, and have fun doing, you are far more likely to stick with it long term. 

MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS

Moving more, getting out, having an engagement, and meeting like-minded people are all big boosts to your mental health. Try to keep going to training sessions, even when you are stressed out or feeling down, for the best effects. 

INCREASED MOTIVATION

Working out in the gym is great, but we don’t always push ourselves, and we often give up before we hit our wall. You might have more motivation when exercising with teammates, and so you’ll get more out of your workouts. 

A WELCOME CONFIDENCE BOOST

Practicing something and seeing yourself get better over time is a great confidence boost. You may never be the team star player, but it doesn’t matter. Doing your best and seeing improvement, as well as making more friends and improving your health and fitness, all help your confidence massively, which we all need from time to time.

Team sports like netball, ladies’ football, and roller derby(!) are growing in popularity all of the time, as more women look for fun and interesting ways to keep fit. So, why not have a look at what is on in your community, and give something a go?