HOW TEAM SPORTS GOT BACK IN THE GAME

With the women’s netball and football world cups taking place this summer, more women are using team sports as a way to get fit, boost wellbeing and have fun. We say high five to that! Connie Scannell, 59, hadn’t played netball for more than 40 years, un

Three women share their experiences of getting involved

eam sports are no longer the preserve of schoolchildren and professional athletes. An increasing number of women, of all ages, are joining local clubs to take part in a variety of sports, and loving it! Since the England netball team won gold in the Commonwealth Games last year, more than 130,700 women have taken up the sport at grassroots level. And it is set to get another boost in the wake of the Vitality Netball World Cup, which is being held in Liverpool this summer.

UK health guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate activity a week to protect against diseases such as diabetes, and a team sport is great for clocking up your time and getting fit. ‘Any form of exercise is great, but having team mates adds an extra benefit, as it keeps you motivated,’ says Colette Thomson, national performance coach at England Netball. ‘This will drive you to always do your best and keep going when things get tough.’

Many of us have terrible memories of being forced to do team sports at school. But things have changed, according to Lisa O’keefe of Sport England, who says it’s about much more than just exercise. ‘It’s social and fun, and the camaraderie leads to increased confidence and builds trust. The organisation element of being in a club is great for increasing mental wellbeing and reducing anxiety,’ she says.

Being part of a group has been proven to enhance the benefits of exercise. An American study* found that group exercise participants showed a 12% improvement in mental wellbeing, a 24% improvement in physical fitness and a 26% reduction in stress levels. According to the study, those who exercised individually had to put in more effort but had no significant change to their quality of life.

If you’re worried that you’re not skilled, fit or young enough, or you don’t know the rules of the sport, then you’re not alone. But, says Lisa, there are many opportunities to play with women of all ages and abilities in clubs that are welcoming and encouraging. They can be affordable, too, with some charging as little as £4 a session.

With so many positives, it’s hardly surprising that so many women are reaping the benefits…

The friendly competition motivates us

At school I played every sport going. I was games captain, and did gymnastics, tennis, trampolining, netball and long jump. Some of my happiest memories are of running around in sports kit.

My love of exercise continued into adulthood and I became a personal trainer. But I thought my days of playing team sports were behind me.

One day last year, I drove past my old school in north London and noticed women playing netball. It reminded me of my school days and all the fun I had, and I wondered whether I could do it, too. I worked out at the gym, but didn’t look forward to it, and thought netball seemed much more enjoyable. I went online and found playnetball.com, which directed me to a team called Pitch Please. Amazingly, it was based at my old school!

I signed up and now play as many games as I can every week: sometimes I’ll play three a night! Our team plays on Wednesdays, but I’ll often volunteer with other teams if they're low on players, as I can’t get enough! I mostly play with women in their 20s, but I’ve never felt self-conscious about being the oldest. My kids, who are in their 30s with their own children, think it’s hilarious, but it doesn’t bother me.

We all play in positions that work to our strengths (I’m wing attack) and are constantly improving. We still lose a lot, but we’re starting to lose less: the friendly competition motivates us! It’s a great way to get fit, helping to improve stamina and speed and strengthening your core. The women I play with are all shapes and sizes: you don’t need to be a certain physique.

It’s lovely playing netball on the same court where I spent so much of my time at school, and it brings back so many memories. It brightens up my week, and I’d play every single day if I could! I’m so glad netball is having a comeback: I want everyone to give it a go.  playnetball.com

My husband is a season-ticket holder at Crawley Town football club, and one day he saw a tweet calling for members of a new football team for women over 30: the Crawley Old Girls. When I saw it, I had that butterfly feeling: nervous yet excited, and decided I wanted to be brave.

We had moved to the town two years earlier, in 2015, and I had spent that time sorting out our new house and making sure our three teenage children were settled. I only started thinking about myself after that.

I hadn’t yet made many friends in Crawley, so I thought joining a team was the perfect way to start. I loved running, and would often join Parkrun to feel the benefits of exercising in a group, but I missed the banter of being on a team like in my school days.

When I showed up on the first day, I was worried: it’s always nerve-racking meeting new people. But the team was so welcoming. There were other newbies, too, so I didn’t feel like the odd one out. We’d chat and introduce ourselves while doing warm-ups and laps of the pitch. Although I’d watched football for years, it was my first time playing. I wasn’t very good and often missed the ball, but I never felt judged. At the end of the first session, I realised I hadn’t laughed so much in ages.

Since then I’ve been playing most weeks, and it’s great. We switch positions, although I tend to avoid being goalkeeper! That feeling of scoring a goal is unparalleled, but it’s the warmth and friendliness that I enjoy the most. Since I started, two of my children have left home and I was struggling with my emptier nest, but the ladies were so supportive and made me feel less alone.

I’d always thought football wasn’t meant for me, as a woman in her 40s, but my preconceptions were wrong. It’s a brilliant workout that anyone can enjoy. I’m having a ball!  womeninfootball.co.uk

The team was so supportive and made me feel less alone

Two years ago, my childhood friend, Gill, died of cancer aged 48. I was devastated. She lived on the same street as me and had been a constant figure of wisdom and guidance in my life. I was really struggling with the bereavement and, as I’m a child psychiatrist myself, some of my colleagues recommended I got some support.

While speaking to a psychiatrist, I got on to the topic of exercise. I explained that I’d enjoyed swimming when I was growing up, but with my job and raising my children, I had let it slip to bottom of the list. I said I’d always loved the idea of trying water polo, and he agreed it would be a great thing for me to try as an emotional outlet and a way to boost my confidence and wellbeing.

Joining my local club, Bridport Barracudas, was daunting, as I’d never tried water polo before; I didn’t even know the rules. But I was able to start from the beginning and learn the basics. It’s essentially a goal-scoring game, except that you swim instead of run and can only hold the ball in one hand. Just two weeks after I started training, I was invited to play a friendly game with another team, even though I was still learning. Everyone was so understanding and supportive, and I gradually felt my fears melt away.

At my club, some players compete at a national level, while others, like me, are doing it as a hobby. They range in age from 15 to 70, proving that it’s something that anyone can do. There’s a lovely social atmosphere, and we always go out together after training.

Since joining the club, my mental wellbeing has improved massively. My work can be very emotionally demanding, so channelling my energy into learning a new skill has been a welcome distraction. As a bonus, it has helped me get really fit; I’ve lost a stone and a half since I started playing, and I’m feeling stronger by the day.

You don’t have to be a really strong swimmer to play, but you do need to be comfortable in the water. It can sometimes get a little brutal (I have had the odd nosebleed!) but, overall, the chances of serious injury are quite low, as it doesn’t stress the joints.

My sons love it, too, so now I play twice a week, and it’s great that we can support each other as a family. It has benefited me physically, emotionally and socially.  waterpoloengland.org

My mental wellbeing has improved massively