Thursday 23-03-2017 - 09:32

Cymraeg

 

What sport/activity do you part-take in?

I am the UWTSD Swansea Women’s Basketball captain.

 

What’s the best thing about being active?

The reason I play sport is for the competitive enjoyment.  I love the feeling when we win and even when we lose games.  The satisfaction and ‘happy’ feeling you get when playing takes a lot of stress out of my life, it’s my way of letting go.  To do that with a great bunch of people, that’s the icing on the cake.

 

Have you ever faced any barriers to get involved in sport and how did you get over them (if at all)?

Throughout my life, I have experienced setbacks when participating in sport. When I was a child, I was diagnosed with Henoch-Schönlein purpura which affected my joints and movements, leaving me with pain in all my joints and the possibility for organ issues and temporary paralysis.  I was told by my doctor not to participate in intense physical activity as it will make it worse, but, I rebelled and continued playing sport!

Being a woman meant that there weren’t as many opportunities for me to participate in sports. I was the only woman in my sports class and the teachers chose not to include me in the practical lessons. I was left with a basketball on a court and was told to teach myself while the guys could play football. So, I taught myself. This is a steady theme throughout my life, and with only a small number of women’s teams being available, this was an issue. Not being confident I also had many issues joining a team, due to personal insecurities.

 

What sport or activity would you like to try out but have never had the chance?

I would really like to try more outdoor sports, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking and all the other adrenaline pumping sports.
I have previously pursued archery but the club was shut down and now would really like to get back into the sport.
I would also like to try tennis.

 

What would you say to other girls/other people who would like to get involved in sport but are scared or worried to start?

It’s not as bad as you think, starting is the hardest part. I live by the motto ‘Motivate, Dedicate, appreciate’, because with these 3 steps you can achieve anything. Motivate yourself to start something and dedicate yourself to stick with it and you can finally appreciate what you have done and achieved. Never be afraid to try, be afraid of not trying.

 

Why did you choose the sport/activity that you currently do?

Through teaching myself I found a love for my sport.  Starting up the team in school with friends allowed me to fall further in love with it, and I managed to really appreciate the activity and how it is performed.

 

Have you had to overcome the fear of being judged to participate in sport or your chosen activity?

YES, I was often the only girl in my class.  Being able to get up and participate was one of the most nerve racking things I could do.  When basketball was a sport on the PE curriculum they did not allow me to play in fear of hurting me but when I did manage to play I would never receive the ball because I was a girl and nobody thought I could play; even I started believing it. I used to tell myself, ‘I’m going to get judged if I play because I’m a girl, I have a woman’s body, it doesn’t sit right’.

 

Do you feel like there have been any benefits since starting your chosen sport/ activity?

I have gained health benefits, social benefits and I have even become a more mature and responsible person from playing.  I have also noticed that playing sport gave my life direction and purpose, built my confidence and developed me personally.