For the majority of us, we’ve tried playing a sport or two. We may have played while in school or been on a community team. Or we may have just started playing in adulthood. There are so many different sports out there that anyone and everyone can participate.
Growing up as a child in rural Manitoba had its perks. I got to try out and play lots of different sports in school and in the community. I was encouraged as a child to try as many as I wanted, and not to specialize in one sport alone. I already knew I wasn’t going to be a star athlete at the Olympics; I was playing for the love of sport, being part of team, and having fun of course!
My favorite sports in high school were volleyball, soccer, and basketball. Then I moved on to university, and the sports stopped. They were completely gone from my life. Yeah, I went to exercise in the Gritty Grotto (the old gym in the basement of the Frank Kennedy Centre at the University of Manitoba), but it wasn’t the same as playing on a team.
During my last year of university, I convinced some friends to start up an indoor co-ed soccer team. Boy, did it feel great to be back on a team! It was such a rush to play soccer again, although I was nervous and anxious, having never played indoor soccer before. The field is a quarter of the size of an outdoor soccer field, and there are only 12 people total on the field rather than 22.
We’re currently in our third season, with almost the same people we started with, give or take. It has been so much fun playing with a great group of friends, being part of a team, winning together, losing together, and going out for pizza after every game.
I also joined a women’s outdoor soccer league this past summer in Winnipeg. I’ve never had so much fun playing a competitive sport, with women ages 21 to 50. They were a great group of ladies to play with, and I look forward to playing with them again this coming summer.
Back to my point about sports: everyone and anyone can play. Sports team aren’t just for children. You just have to look a little harder to find them as adults, or start up a team with friends. To me, it feels great to be part of a team. I feel welcomed, engaged, and wanted. Consider joining a sport with your spouse, friends, or children. Whether it’s a regular occurrence or on a drop-in basis, you’ll feel the benefits.
