I have a sports injury.
*dramatic pause*
OK, OK, I have a grazed knee, but still, I did it playing an Actual Sport, and it quite hurt at the time, (although I was very brave and didn’t cry), so I’m calling it a sports injury. Perhaps I should get a massage?? David from Future Focus says that “sports massages are critical to overcoming any kind of muscular injury, addressing your aches and pains all of the body.”
Friends and family will be laughing now at the idea of me playing any kind of sport, let alone putting in enough effort to sustain an injury, but they can laugh all they like, for I am pleased to announce that at the age of 33 I have finally found a sport that I enjoy. Never having been able to maintain any sort of physical activity for longer than a few weeks before, this is something of a revelation for me, and an achievement therefore to be celebrated.
My sport of choice?
Netball.
I remember netball at school, like pretty much every PE lesson, as a mild form of torture – the ritual picking of teams, puppy fat bouncing distastefully round the court, and my face even redder and shinier than normal – all reminders for my classmates of why they tried to avoid sitting next to me in lessons if they could help up. My hyper-competitiveness in those days was restricted to the classroom, all my energies focussed on getting my hand up first to answer questions, rather than to score goals.
Nowadays though, my competitive nature knows no bounds. I have managed to tone it down a little over the weeks since I started playing, only diving to the floor on top of the ball once last week crying ‘that ball is mine!’. Initially though I did find it hard to restrain myself. ‘FOOTWORK!!!’ I screamed six inches from the face of one poor woman in my first week, resulting in a hasty embarrassed apology from me and a look of horror from her.
I like it though. I like that it is exercise with a purpose rather than just cycling or running for the sake of it. I like that there is a winning team, even if it’s not mine, and I like the sense of camaraderie that is beginning to develop between me and my team mates. And so for now I’m taking my graze on the chin, or the knee at least, and embracing my new-found athleticism. Long may it last.
John suggested today that we go jogging together. I suggested he go jogging and I would wait at home ready to make him a cup of coffee when he got back. He then suggested badminton. I laughed. But he’s persisting. He’s determined to find a sport we both enjoy. I told him “sport” and “enjoy” do not go together in my world. Although I think I’d look nice in tennis whites…
Your poor knee! I hope that you are treating the injury with the greatest of care and taking lots of wine to help you through this injury.
*applauds wildly* I am impressed. I am wearing my impressed face. Such vigour. Admirable. Mad, obviously, but admirable.
I think it’s great that you’ve found an activity you can enjoy and that through sport you’re starting to experience fulfilment, fitness, and fun.
Sport has a bad press and while it might not appeal to everyone it certainly could be enjoyed by many more people.
Your point about there being a reason to participate rather than just doing some exercise for some extrinsic motivation is actually really well grounded in research in that people who participate in activity for the sake of the activity are far more likely to stay engaged for the longer term and reap greater benefits from it.
I hope you continue to enjoy your new pastime and should you require mending following any sessions please leave a message on my twitter feed and you can have a complimentary sports massage at my clinic one time.
Well done again,
Tron
I do running because it’s free. I went out with work to play football the other week and you would not BELIEVE the pain I was in afterwards. Like. Nothing. I’ve. EVER. Had.
But the football was good fun considering there was just four of us. I fell down twice. Yes, twice. O_o
I’m thinking of taking up squash for the husband – running is on hold because of injury. It’s nice and violent and competitive and because it’s just the husband – I can be as true to my colours as I want. Hehe – not pretty. I hit him once because he beat me on Mario cart (he was being very sneaky)- I vowed never to play computer games again.
I love doing exercise with a purpose, regardless of the perils of injury (maybe that’s just me getting older!!) I think its admirable to get into a sport for fun – but watch out! Netball can be very competitive – even vicious sometimes!! I used to play rugby when I was younger (no i’m not butch, just used to be very fast) but have recently decided to start womens football…its a bit safer! Good luck with the netball!
If you like netball.. You’ll like the feature film NETBALL SUCKS. A horror comedy supporting women in sport and netball! You can follow us on twitter on @netballsucks or you can get more information from my blog!