Over my lifetime, I have been involved in a lot of activities, but most of them have been individual. Those activities have included figure skating, rock climbing, and pole vaulting. Sure, in some of them, there was a chance that my individual performance might contribute to a team "score", but that was never on the forefront of my mind when I was competing, individually. I usually competed and waited for my individual results, forgetting about any contrived "team" score. Don't get me wrong. I loved my teammates in each of these activities and actively supported their efforts. I just did not see how my efforts connected with theirs in any way.
That was true until I moved to Steamboat Springs, CO. My second year in town, a local lawyer I worked for, Anne, decided to start a women's rugby team. There was already a semi-pro mens' team in town who had an ace, Aussie coach who had been a pro player all over the world. So this was a natural extension to that Steamboat rugby program. Yet, at the initial planning meeting there were three people...me, a girl who had played rugby at Oregon and Anne, the organizer. No pressure, right? But, from that humble organizational meeting, a team was born!
I expected to be challenged athletically: what I did not expect was to be challenged socially. You see, I had never really been on a "true" team. I had competed in a vacuum, doing my own thing without thinking how that affected others. Yet, practice after practice on the rugby field, I learned to lean on these girls I had just met. I knew that my success depended on their trust in me and that made me work harder. Honestly, though, I had never had to depend on anyone besides myself for success.
I expected to be challenged athletically: what I did not expect was to be challenged socially. You see, I had never really been on a "true" team. I had competed in a vacuum, doing my own thing without thinking how that affected others. Yet, practice after practice on the rugby field, I learned to lean on these girls I had just met. I knew that my success depended on their trust in me and that made me work harder. Honestly, though, I had never had to depend on anyone besides myself for success.
This year was the second year for the women's rugby team of Steamboat. The friendships I have built will be there for a lifetime. And, the challenges I conquered, still surprise me, today. Rugby has transformed me as a person. I learned to trust other girls/women. I found a place to "compete" without caring about "being the winner". And, I found FRIENDS! Truly, I found lifelong friends on my team. I don't know if it was the trust we had to build as a team or the commonality of the type of person who would even give rugby a try...regardless, I have a whole new "family" of people who "get" me.
My recommendation to everyone is to join a TEAM sport. It will make you appreciate others and will challenge you to be the best you can be....for your team!
My recommendation to everyone is to join a TEAM sport. It will make you appreciate others and will challenge you to be the best you can be....for your team!
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