Attracting new students to a sport was very easy. Every team was quick to do that while in high school. The trick? Representatives of the different teams went class-to-class ‘advertising’ to the new students, and soon a flock of girls would be at the court flapping their hands against the basketball the next day. Creating a family out of the sports teams, however, was a whole other journey. The friendship that develops that kind of bond is very crucial if the sport is to thrive.
The three musketeers. As soon as the clock ticked 4:30 pm, my mind automatically switched to court situations. If I were in a math lesson, I would send a trail of tapping alerts until my other two teammates were roused and signaled them that ball time was soon. The alerting was mutual, and they did the same when it was time. Immediately after lessons ended, we would rush to the hostels and change into our sweat attire; within seconds, we would be sloping to the court. We became the three musketeers and always watched out for each other. The development of one’s game felt like we were all benefitting. The teammates we made!
To create a mutual friendship and growth, we would hold meetings to discuss the team’s progress and shortcomings once in a while. To make this more elaborate, we would get paired with another person who would be your watchdog, supporting each other while on court through daily criticism of how your play was or how you performed. This would improve your game with time as you knew someone was watching.
“She is the guy!” screams Sherinah. Sherinah is a year ahead of me, but if you found us interacting, our interaction would mislead you to believe that we have been together throughout our academic journey. Sherinah was the ideal sports girl. Every Head of Sports House teacher envied her because of her zeal and her great athleticism. Let it be football; she would defend, tackle, dribble, score, and even play as a goalkeeper in one game. Put her to cross-country runs; she would leave the next participant by 2-kilometer distance. Dare her to do long jumps, she will jump past the demarcations, and one will be forced to announce her winner before the end of the competition. She joined the basketball team during her A’level, but her game level was unmatched within just months of training. The team often teased her for her one man’s army defense as she never showed any sign of being tired and would play till the last whistle was blown. I am not sure how many times she was awarded Sports Girl of the Year, but I know her room is the most decorated all-rounder sports personality room I have been to.
Oh, wait! She had screamed, “She is the guy!” before I did this quarterly introduction about her. She is at the sideline cheering me up for the virgin shot I just made from the three-pointer line. She is the right energy anybody would need around to grow and glow in sports. She will cheer you up even when you are just having a warm down. That positive energy that keeps you going even at your lowest. As the saying goes, “Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are.”
What you surround yourself with will either make you or break you! The company you keep can be your downfall or your stronghold. Similarly, in sports, the people you come by and develop a sports relationship with can be your stronghold or ruin. We may have different ambitions even though we are playing the same sport, but sports unites us in one way or another as the goals in the sport will be interlinked. I doubt anybody plays competitive sports to remain with the lowest ranks in the league, nor does someone jog every morning to keep their unhealthy lifestyle. Sports is a melting pot for diverse groups of people, each with a reason for doing sports. Be mindful of being respectful while at it!
Finally, sports is not all about physical fitness and opportunities; it is also a friendship fraternity! Sports can be the building block for your relationships with other people to support your growth as an athlete and your professional growth off-court. A common belief and philosophy that engulfs women’s circles goes, “Women always work to tear down fellow women.” The assertion could arguably be actual or merely a tainted image of women! Women in sports support fellow women in sports. Let one woman’s progress be celebrated like it’s an individual’s success as this builds on the whole theory of women in sports. Be your sister’s keeper.
REMEMBER
The sports you played. The teams you played for. The teams you competed against. The admirers you had. The people you admired. The coaches that trained you. The game-lovers that cheered you. The lovers you met. The mentors that you became. The mentees you became. Sports made you!
Support Women In Sports
Commenti