Team Sports: Choosing What’s for You

Team sports are a great way to exercise and increase your fitness while having a great time and building connections with people. You may have considered taking up a team sport to get fit, to make friends, or as a new hobby. Once you’ve made that decision, it can get confusing to decide on which team sport you want to take up.

This is a simple breakdown of what you need to think about before making that decision, whether for yourself or your child.

• What’s your most beloved sport?

If you’re a massive football fan then it may be a good idea to at least start with football. You can always take up another sport later, but by starting with one that you are already familiar with and love, you can ensure that you will have more passion for the sport. The passion you feel can be a pretty important factor when it comes to picking the right option for you; being more attracted to a particular sport means that you are more likely to stick with it and not quit. Going with what you find more exciting and interesting will definitely give you more drive to excel at what you’ve picked.

It could also help to start with a sport that is beloved and popular in your area. It may be easier to find a pickup basketball game than a pickup lacrosse game for example. This can help you find a community that will make the experience more fulfilling and you can always start a new sport once you are in your groove.

• Check out the equipment that a sport needs

If you’re interested in a sport, make sure that you have all the equipment you need to get into it. While some sports are pretty straightforward, all you need to play doubles tennis, for example, is a racket and the appropriate clothing. For something like inline hockey, though you will need proper skates. It’s important to make sure you’re not missing any equipment if you decide to take up a sport. This can also help you understand how much of an investment you would need to make to really get into it seriously.

If a sport requires expensive equipment, you don’t want to be making an investment and spending a considerable amount of money, and then just leave it to collect dust. Make sure you have the commitment before making a decision.

• Try different sports

There are a lot of team sports that you could get into. And you might end up discovering that you love a sport that you have never really thought about or considered was suitable for you before. By trying out multiple sports when you’re first starting out, and then making a decision on what you want to do over a longer period of time is a pretty good idea.

Finally, have fun!

Whether you’re making this decision for yourself or for your child, it’s important to remember that sports- especially team sports- are supposed to be fun and rewarding. Don’t force yourself into something that you won’t enjoy.