How Playing in Local Netball Teams Can Make You a Better Person
Playing netball will make you a better person? Isn’t this kind of a stretch? Sure, there are many benefits to joining a local team, but would it really improve you as a person? Based on what many netballers say, it really does.
Playing in a team makes you see enough wins to give you gumption as well as enough losses to give you humility and empathy. This could refer to years of playing the sport, to a season playing in Melbourne Social Netball matches, or to just one game. In a single game alone, you can go through multiple triumphs and failures. The experience definitely has a way of refining character.
So in what ways can playing in local netball teams better equip you for life?
- You are conditioned to make quick decisions. Once you catch the ball, you have three seconds to determine your next step. For this, you need to figure out the best choice fast. You can definitely apply this skill in life, especially if you tend to be wishy-washy at times.
- You become solution-oriented. You find ways to effectively deal with problems, from something as simple as hair flopping on your face (bobby pins!) to something a bit more complex like poor shooting skills (drills!).
- You learn to value teamwork. As they say, there is no “I” in netball. It’s a team sport so you’ll have to work with others to be successful. It’s all about supporting each other. There’s no room for any star complex. Even the most skilful player plays a supporting role, uttering the familiar netball phrase “Here if you need.”
- You see that bad choices have consequences. If you do something wrong in a game, such as go offside or obstruct, the umpire or another player will take you down. This will ingrain your sense of fair play.
- You are forced to be flexible and versatile. You get to function in different positions to be as useful and as efficient a player as you can be. In life, you are similarly forced to wear different hats, so honing the ability to adapt is essential.
- You understand the importance of timing. Knowing when to intercept, pivot, pass, etc. is crucial. Doing something too early or too late can change the turnout of the game. Having good timing in life has the same impact on your endeavours.
- You develop a tougher hide. In netball as in life, you get good days and bad days, and with the latter, you just have to suck it up. You don’t fall apart and quit. You keep on working.
- You know all about relief. After sweating it out, be it to a win or to a loss, you understand that you have to rest and reward yourself for your effort. This is why Melbourne Social Netball players often head to a nearby restaurant after a game on the netball courts of the Riverside Golf & Tennis Centre. Life has better balance when you understand the essence of relief.
Obviously, playing with local netball teams can work wonders on your personality since there are so many life lessons to be gleaned from the game. You have no choice but come out of the experience much improved.