Why team sports can be bad for your Health

July 11, 2018 by Debbie L. Belair 7 Comments

Do you prefer solo sports? Here are some reasons why solo sports can be healthier. I speak from experience. Warning, this post may offend some people. Please don’t take it personally.

First, please know that I have nothing against competition. I played competitive sports most of my life, I have nothing to prove anymore.  The only thing that matters is my health.

I recently started playing Pickleball, and boy am I disappointed…not in the game, but the people that run some of these clubs.  I bring a tennis background to the sport, and other racquet sports too.  All was grand until I started to improve and then found that I had nowhere to go next.  When I wanted to play with more advanced players, they made remarks and some gave me dirty looks. When asked if I could play once, the Club President said, “if you can find somebody to play with you.”  I didn’t think I was that bad.

I am only allowed to play once or twice a week, the rest is for the higher levels. There is nothing worse than being excluded from a new sport before you have a chance to improve.

I joined a club and thought I would get to know people and have a little fun and lose weight.  The problem is that some people are so narcissistic that they take the sport way too seriously. Fact is… most people are new to Pickleball. We all bring different assets to the game.

I see people in their 50’s and 60’s who think they are going to be professional athletes… just because it’s a new sport.  Three years is not long to play a sport. I think some people just want to relive their college days, but leave the ego outside the courts, please! Help others, and don’t be a jerk.

Tennis, on the other hand, takes a lifetime to learn. You have to earn your respect in that sport, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Tennis gives you better overall fitness.

The truth is that Pickleball is popular because it’s so easy to learn…so why the attitude?  Many of the players I have met are overweight and lazy, and they act superior. I am not being rude, this is how it is with these people.  It doesn’t take a lot of athletic ability to play the sport, so people shouldn’t be turning their noses up at novices.

Wellness buffs remember your priorities.

Many of the people that started with me in the spring have quit, and now I know why. They weren’t given a chance. Some of the members won’t even play with newbies. I haven’t determined if this is just the “culture” of Pickleball or the club I joined.  Either way, I am disappointed I wasted my time. I did some PR work for them, and this is my reward. Not good.

If you have had this experience you are not alone.  The solution is to go back to single sports like running, cycling, and weight training.  You don’t have to make your partner unhappy when you miss shots, and you certainly don’t have to have a number.  Face it, most of us aren’t going to be pros, so spend your time with sports that reward your health. Team sports like the situation I described above can only be unhealthy for you. Team sports can complicate your life because you have to deal with a lot of toxic personalities. Most of us have enough stress in our lives right?

The real rewards of fitness are a happy lifestyle, a healthy heart, and mind. Forget about these people who are just out there to showboat.  I guarantee they aren’t going to be much help to you in the long run. In general, I have found team sports less rewarding, and I have played many over the years. No matter how much you educate people, it will never change.

If you want to play Pickleball please make sure that you are in a supportive learning environment. Always check out the reviews first. Good luck, and don’t let anybody take the fun out of it.