According to a study conducted in the last decade, sports, commonly, has the potential to fuel friendships and develop bonds. It complemented earlier studies that had demonstrated that children who are athletically accomplished tend to feel socially confident; the latest research showed that sports also help establish friendships and enhances the happiness quotient.
Children, as the study suggested, not only attach importance to their athletic skills; they also experience contentment with the number of friends they are able to establish. The study found that children who had lower athletic confidence were more lonely in school, thus throwing the spotlight on the importance of equipping children with a minimal level of athletic skills – to not only keep them physically active but also to boost their social status.
Interestingly, researchers noted that the chosen sport didn’t have to be a team event or a high-level sport to experience that spurt of friendship and happiness during the school years. Using a questionnaire method, they asked students to rate their classmates on a scale of their athletic abilities and found that the students who received lower athletic ratings had higher levels of loneliness. They concluded that there are obvious social benefits in having even minimum athletic competence.
This observation has been reiterated by celebrated sports coaches who have experienced, from close quarters, the possibilities of establishing friendships and bonds that lead to endearing lifelong relationships. Joining a sports team is a surefire way of connecting with friends and also taking it all the way through different stages of life. From bikers and marathon runners to footballers and other team players, it is the need to stay connected beyond the sports arena that has led them to form clubs and plan weekend meetings to fuel the need to stay with like-minded folks. The sight of a cavalcade of bikers vrooming along the highway on a weekend is one such example. And then there are camps and treks to strengthen those ties established on the sports field.
On The Field And Beyond
As a sports expert noted, there are several reasons why sports can prove to be a good icebreaker for new friends. This is especially true when the reference is to team sports. The discipline entailed by the game and the pre-set rules to play the game acts as a reference point for all the team members to stay connected on the field. It doesn’t take long to take this connection beyond the ground. There is an element of trust that the game stimulates between each other to help them play as one during playoffs or even friendly matches. The common interest of the team establishes the bond and each member becomes aware of one’s own and others’ strengths and weaknesses on the field.
Sports friendships are also unique in their manifestations. They do not feel compelled to make small talk or chat about the weather and such topics, as there is so much about the game itself that requires discussions, even much after the game has been played and done with. Even interacting with others who are not into sports comes easy to sportspersons, notes a sports fanatic, who has been around athletically accomplished folks. Unless the sportsperson is nursing a narcissistic personality, most know how to interact and become active conversationalists without taking the spotlight.
For The Love Of Sports
There is no age to get into a sports activity; definitely not if you are into the sport for fitness and are motivated by the spirit of the game. While golfing is possible at any age, the ones who have fitness on their side can even indulge in team sports for the love of the game or simply to stay connected – of course, not to have matches and tournaments. The idea is not to take things too seriously; the sport is simply an outlet to network and experience the joie de vivre of being a part of a group
But if there are children at home, a proper sports initiation is of imminent importance. New students have the best and the easiest option of making friends by joining a sports team. Their common goal will help foster bonds of friendship and instil a sense of belonging. And, as the study has demonstrated, it will make them happier and will enable them to establish friendships.