A lot of us played team sports growing up. Whether that was one year of tee-ball where we picked more dandelions in the grass than actually caught baseballs, years spent playing a sport we grew to have a passion for, or something in between, sports have an effect on everyone. They help shape us into the adults we grow into, provide a safe space to make friends we’ll have for life, and teach us valuable lessons like leadership.
Who better to discuss the topic of team sports with then someone who not only grew up with them, but played three in college? Annie Crisp has been a member of Owens softball, soccer, and basketball teams. She has been playing team sports since the age of five.
When asked if team sports have helped her come out of her shell, Crisp said, “Yes, they have taught me how to better communicate with others.”
She added that they have helped her meet new people as well. She also shared in her interview that team sports help individuals work towards one goal. Crisp mentioned that she has been shaped into the person she is today due to the sports she’s played.
Team sports provide players with an atmosphere where they can easily meet people their own age and form lasting bonds. Close friendships often begin in team sports. Whether your parents made you be there, or it’s your greatest dream, everyone in team sports has to work together, and through these shared experiences, players become closer.
Team sports give opportunities to naturally bond us together. It could be the joy of winning a tournament, or the disappointment of losing one, the entire team shares these emotions and so many more throughout a season. Through team sports, shy or introverted players can learn to step outside of their comfort zone and speak up for their team, this can help them later do the same in the workplace.
Along with the relationships we may build with our teammates, we can meet mentors and role models through our coaches in team sports. Our coaches teach us just as much as our teammates, and can be great examples to follow. Just like our teachers, parents, and other guardians, coaches help us to learn values that we’ll carry into our future such as time management, discipline, and kindness.
In addition to team sports helping us to learn to work together, they teach us to set individual goals as well. They teach us to chase our dreams and conquer any obstacles we face on the way. These skills can later help in career development as well.
With having developed a spirit of going after and achieving our goals that we can acquire from team sports, we can learn to do the same in other elements of our lives. Group sports help us learn resilience and to push to become the best versions of ourselves that we can be.
Team sports can also help us gage what we might like later in life. We could decide that sports aren’t for us, or find out that the sport we did not want to play originally is our greatest passion. They help us understand our strengths and weaknesses, and therefore, discover what we might want to do in the future.
Group sports can help with our physical health as well, preparing us to be strong individuals later in life. They help us build agility and endurance. Team sports keep us moving and working and testing ourselves physically.
In addition to physical health, sports help greatly with our mental health. They help keep our minds sharp, and give us critical thinking skills. Group sports can help us push away, or work off stress and frustration, helping us get back to a proper mental state to function through all our other activities.
Team sports can also bring together the community. Through games, tournaments, and fundraisers, group sports can bring together more than just the teammates and the coaches. They can give a sense of togetherness which is important to grow up with. They may help with connections and growth in the community and help people set aside their differences to watch a game or donate to their team’s cause.
Team sports have so many positives. They can help teach valuable lessons, help us make friends, and meet mentors through our coaches. Group sports can bring the community together, and help with our physical as well as mental health.
Team sports truly shape us into who we become in the future. It doesn’t matter how long you played it, if you were part of a team sport it affected you in some way. Where would we be without team sports?
If you would like to watch Crisp and all the other Owens athletes in action go to their website; click here.
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