Playing Sport After Highschool
When I was growing up, sport was a huge thing for my family. Most Saturdays my mum would take me to football and my dad would take my brother to rugby. We’d come home all muddy and exhausted and sometimes be allowed McDonald’s on the way home. It was the same all through school. I played cricket, football, ripper rugby, netball and underwater hockey. I was an absolute jack of all trades and a master of none.
Once I left high school, I didn’t play again for three years. I didn’t even miss it, I just got on with my life and started wanting to do other things, like binge drinking. When I finally got back into it, I didn’t really care about the games, in fact we lost frequently. I just loved the social side of it, the pizza after the game and the team BYOs, it was just a lot of fun.
Social sport is an attractive idea for a lot of people, it’s a chance to move your body without feeling forced to. Growing up, I definitely felt forced to. Not necessarily by my parents, but involvement in sport was such a big thing for my family and all my friends, it just felt like something I had to do. Often, I would pretend to have a sore stomach or a headache so I wouldn’t have to go to my training. I liked the games a lot, but actually training and taking time out of my busy teenage life felt like a real hassle.
Cameron played rugby throughout high school, and was in the first XV, he was quite the success story until he broke his leg and his rugby goals took a hit. This isn’t just a ‘I could have gone pro if I hadn’t torn my ACL story’ - he was legitimately good. He still plays now, in a social competitive team called the Mixed Veggies.
“Rugby is a very strong bonding experience where you share a huge sense of comradery with your teammates. It keeps you fit and strong, it’s rewarding because you put your body on the line to get the win. You need lots of strategic thinking which always keeps it interesting. There are not many sports out there where you can throw yourself at your opponents in such a barbaric way and then just get a beer with them afterwards,” he says.
Gretchen has a similar mindset, she’s played cricket most of her life and recently moved to the UK to play for a club in Acton, West London.
“I joined an all-boys cricket team when I was five, then I played all through high school and then for reps. When I moved to Wellington for uni I didn’t keep going, it was too overwhelming being in a new place and not knowing anyone. I actually took nearly six years off before I started playing again.”
She’s happy she did though, and says playing sport is a huge part of who she is.
“There’s just nothing like the euphoric high you get from playing sport, it’s a part of my identity now.”
As rewarding and satisfying playing sport can be, it is just easier to play in high school for a number of reasons. Your parents usually pay for it, your classmates are often on your team and you have a lot more time on your hands. My football fees were around $250 for a season last year, which for a student is a huge hunk of cash. You have to weigh up how much you want to join a sports team, and how badly you want to pay rent. Most of the time, rent wins. A SportsNZ survey from 2019, concluded that after turning 18, New Zealanders spend significantly less time being active. It doesn’t go into details about the specific reasons we tend to move less the older we are. Some people I spoke to had their own reasons for not playing anymore.
“It’s just not accessible anymore, it’s expensive when it’s not based in school and it’s hard to find which club to play for, and to balance your time with work, uni, and life,” says Gretta, who hasn’t played sports since high school.
Niamh played netball and football in high school, but hasn’t played since. “I’m a total sore loser, I only managed to complete a full game of monopoly without rage quitting at the age of 22. I’m competitive and also my ass is fat now, plus I’m just way to queer to participate in single sex sports,” she tells Massive.
Lia played in high school too, and has a pretty similar reason for not participating. When asked why she doesn’t play anymore she simply responded:
“Gay.”
If you can find a team, and the funds for it, sport can be a really rewarding experience. You get to meet cool people and let out a bit of aggression. Dani plays for a Wellington football club, and loves the chance to let out a bit of energy on the field.
“It’s just fun, you get to meet really cool people. Plus, if you’re sneaky you get to kick people and you don’t get in trouble for it,” she says.
Sports culture is always going to be a huge thing in New Zealand, sometimes it’s problematic and toxic but it can also be awesome. I remember being 11 and getting to stay up until 11pm to watch the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup final and feeling my little prepubescent self actually get quite emotional when we won. Sports culture can be divisive but it can also be unifying, especially when you get to play yourself. When you get out of high school and start playing for yourself and not your school or your parents, it becomes even more rewarding.
There are a lot of reasons to sign up for your local sports club, fitness, friendship and an excuse to kick people.
Crystal, a footballer in Wellington, has a very specific reason she has decided to continue playing sport.
“The lesbians.”
If you’re missing playing sport or just want to meet people and have a run around, ask around at your hall or in your friend group and see if anyone wants to sign up for a social netball team, or a futsal team. You might meet your new best friend, or perhaps a lover.