Couch potato? Get up! Discover what you can learn from sports.
There's a great story in the book, "The Managerial Woman." A young girl didn't get why her brother played baseball everyday with a guy everybody hated. After weeks of his complaints, she asked why they even let the guy play. His simple answer? "We need 9."
The book then explains how boys are socialized to work in teams, to accept personal differences for the sake of the goal.And how they learn early on about healthy competition, strategy, and teamwork—things that will help them in school, career, and relationships.
Could these skills help you? Or are you hesitant to try out for a team because you're afraid, or because you think practice takes up too much time? Joining a team does make you busier than you already are, but it also enriches your life and teaches you important life lessons.
Home skills for life
First, our Western society is competitive. There are winners, losers, lucky shots and bad calls. Sound like your love life? That's the point: Sports teach you how to accept situations, celebrate well-deserved wins, and put disappointments in perspective. They also allow you to own your success—whether you score a winning goal or just show up and play well on a day you feel crappy.
Second, you can burn anywhere from 300–500 calories a day by practicing/playing sports. It also strengthens your cardiovascular system and improves your muscle tone.Translation? Did somebody say "bikini?
Finally, by playing sports, you share victories and weather losses with other girls who are also striving for personal development. This creates deep personal bonds and a supportive atmosphere—on and off the field.
So go ahead. Try out, Get into it. And hone some skills for life.
