Parents are always signing up kids for team sports when they are little. And indeed, team sports are a great way to learn teamwork, get exercise and learn motor skills. However, team sports are not only reserved for kids! They are amazing for adult too, so here are a few benefits you can expect if you join your local amateur football or netball club.
Physical activity
Naturally, the most obvious benefit of team sports for adults is exercise. Those who hate going to the gym or jogging in the park, having a fun team sport to attend is a great way to get exercise and have fun at the same time. Since obesity is at its all-time high, it’s truly essential to get physical and move every day. Since 150 minutes of exercise is all you need per week, it’s really more than possible to squeeze in a few practice classes into your week. And, every city has an amateur league and teams of various sports no matter if you’re into baseball, football, basketball or netball.
Competition is healthy
If all you do at work is to fill out forms and send emails, giving your brain a little challenge a few times a week is very healthy. Some friendly competition is both fun and healthy for the brain and it will push you harder with your workout.
Weekly fun
Many adults live weeks and weeks of stress, deadlines, and tasks. So, if you have a good way to escape that pressure, make sure to take it! Sports are a great way to take a break, relax and forget all about what bothers you at work or at home. And you don’t even need much time, money or equipment to play a sport. For instance, for a good game of netball, all you need is a fitting netball skirt and bam—you’re ready to hit the court! You and your crew can even grab matching skirts to look like a true team.
Interaction with people
Being a part of a team is a very fun and sociable activity. Weekly practices and games will give you an opportunity to interact and meet people you might never meet otherwise. Also, when you’re in a team, you don’t need to be a social butterfly to meet people. The atmosphere is casual, everyone’s interacting and you can just show up and play. After you get to know everyone a little better, you might even end up hanging out with them after every practice or game.
Motivation
Playing a team sport improves motivation. When you need to hit the gym alone, it’s easy to just choose to skip it or reduce the number of reps. But, when a team is relying on you and holding out accountable to do your part, you’ll not be allowed to slack off.
Confidence boost
If you pull off a great move or strike a great goal, your confidence will explode! Not only will you see yourself getting more skilled, but you’ll also notice how to fit you’re getting. This will give you the confidence you can use in every aspect of your life! If you feel good about how you play and how you look, you might feel good about the other parts of yourself and your life.
Respect
When you’re playing a team sport, you’ll also learn a valuable lesson on how to respect authority and other players. While this lesson is especially important for kids, adults can benefit from it too. If you have a tough coach, you’ll learn what it means to respect authority and follow directions which you can translate to your work or college. If you play regular games against other people, you’ll learn how to treat your opponents with respect and how to be a fair player.
Long-term happiness
According to research, people who engage in team sports are generally healthier and more satisfied with life. Playing team sports has a huge role in the satisfaction of life. Why? Well, being a part of a team makes people feel like they belong and it provides them with necessary social interaction which increases happiness.
So, find a sport you like (team sports are so versatile, that you just must be attracted to something) and join your local team. They will be happy to have another useful member and you’ll be reaping all these amazing benefits!
