Even before I start writing I am already nervous of the reaction my friends are going to have when they realise we are posted up on the internet in our netball gear! It won't be a total shock to the girls to see themselves on-line as I did 'briefly' explain when I made them pose for the picture, but it is amazing how thought of having our photo taken made everyone protest, I bet the other four members of the team are relived it was their night off!
I have decided to include the photo of 'Good Catch' our netball team, as we play every Monday and Thursday and it is such a fun part of my week I thought I would share it with you.
A friend and I started going to some coaching sessions about 18 months ago as a change from the gym and after a few weeks we were hooked. We quickly (and surprisingly very easily ) got a keen bunch of girls together and have been playing ever since.
If you ever played netball at school and enjoyed it I would recommend starting again. I wouldn't say it is like 'riding a bike' you definitely forget the rules, which foot you landed on and where you can and can't go on court but the enjoyment of playing with your friends on team quickly comes back. We play in the middle division and have a rocky ride, some weeks we play brilliantly and other we get beat but we remain optimistic throughout and more importantly remember it is only a game. We all have children and jobs so being off work with sprained ankle (or sometimes worse) is something we all try to avoid no matter how much we would love to win.
Team sports is something I think many of us mums miss out on. So many men happily commit themselves to football, rugby, golf etc. on a weekly basis but so often we always put keeping fit way down the line after the children, work, household chores etc, etc... However the league is full of thirty - forty something mums, testament that it can be done and surprisingly I have found it much easier to commit to than the gym. When you have a match booked and other people waiting for you, you can't say I'll go tomorrow instead. My husband also knows that if he isn't home from work on time and I miss a match he has 7 angry women to deal with, not just one, imagine that!!!
I would like to say a big thankyou to the girls for letting me take their picture! They are a fantastic bunch that have all become lovely friends, hopefully we will keep playing together for many years. OAPs league here we come!
Well Rachel, now I know what you wanted the photograph of us fellow "netballers" for !
ReplyDeleteI must say I agree with a few points you have raised. Firstly as a busy mum, who works, has a husband who works shifts, and has 2 boys, a cat and a dog to look after .... I feel like I spend all of my time "doing things for other people" and nothing for me. That is how I came to join a netball team. Initially playing once a week and now becoming addicted to it and playing twice a week. It is not always easy to motivate myself for a 10pm match ..... especially when I am usually tucked up in bed by 10.30pm !! However I do feel a bit more of a work life balance just by committing to being part of a team !!
I have to say I admire the fact that you can fit so much into your day. I feel some days I could do with a few more hours to get things done so to go to netball late at night must really have you hooked. Reading this has made me realise us mums do need to take time out for ourselves so I think its off to the Gym tonight for a workout and a relax in the sauna!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree! I feel it's a shame when I hear my mum say that she never had any time for herself when we were growing up and part of her belives that in a way 'she gave her life up to have kids'. I know I don't want to feel like that. I would like to get the balance right (if that is at all possible) to have time for my husband, the kids, the dog, keep the house, to work a little and to have time for me too. I choose to do a team sport twice a week and meet with friends about once a month. It's not a lot but it's more than my mum did and I really feel like I'm having some well earned ME time! I have met some great friends from doing a team sport too and unlike the copious amount of gyms I have joined I have stuck to team sports for 18 months now! My little ones are 6,4 and 2 and I hope they feel when they get older that I had time for them and they feel I had time for me too! Loved reading the blog!
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