What I learnt about relationships from team sport...

How much does a sport like netball and being a part of any team sport enhance your relationship skills? Plenty! Here are my thoughts on this topic as requested by the Sunshine Coast Daily.
 
At the time, I didn’t realise how much playing team sport as a child has contributed to strengthening my social skills to build healthy relationships. Aside from developing coordination (not sure if I ever mastered this one!), and benefiting from fitness, here’s what I learnt to do:

• Reflect on my performance when I contributed to losing.
• Deal with “ball hogs”, bullies, witness on field tantrums and hear swearing from others when they didn’t win.
• Listen and respect my elders such as the coach, referee and sports officials (even when we didn’t agree).
• Enjoy comradery, to build each other up “when the chips are down”.
• Positively bond with other females as they’re particularly important to women.
• Talk out problems with my teammates either about the game or otherwise.
• Build tenacity and resilience to grind through gruelling training sessions.
• Not rely on a screen for entertainment.
• Enjoy confidence when we achieved as a team.
• Play by the rules, learn consequences and personal boundaries.
• Experience the joy of sharing the adventure of visiting new places with others.
• Notice a consistent correlation in academic success when I applied the same principles of hard work and dedication.
• Appreciate “muscle memory” when I’ve continued to exercise as an adult.
• Take advantage of being inspired by healthy and fit lifestyle mentors.

 
How does this translate to adult relationships? I now have:

• A greater ability to work, live and tolerate people with different values, backgrounds and idiosyncrasies.
• Insight my harsh words cannot be rewound and the need to own my poor selfish behaviour
• An understanding that what motivates me, may not inspire someone else.
• The joy of seeking to provide care and love in a way that is different to mine.
• A greater chance of successfully placating someone else facing loss, disappointed or distressed.
• No problem seeking wisdom from mentors who consistently enjoy a great marriage or relationships.
• The benefit of fulfillment of self-sacrifice to support someone else.
• The knowledge that exercise is the best stress, depression and anxiety medication that contributes to being the best wife, mother, daughter and neuropsychotherapist I can be!

​Joanne Wilson is a neuropsychotherapist, relationship specialist, radio co-host, workshop facilitator and guest speaker. Contact www.theconfidantecounselling.com or via email. Look out for my new podcast discussing these articles and more, "Is This Love?"