Going from high school to college can be a culture shock to many students, particularly student-athletes.
Intermural sports allow you to join a team of your own volition without worrying about impressing the head coach.
But even with that freedom, the top fears people have when trying a new sport may prevent them from signing up.
Being on the Losing End
Human beings can be extremely competitive when it comes to sports. While intramural sports are more about having fun than winning, losing isn’t fun. The fear of losing may keep you from trying something new if you thrive on the “win or die trying” attitude.
A person who has a background in basketball might steer clear of anything that involves swinging anything. Meanwhile, they’ll miss out on a great opportunity to broaden their horizons and explore unfamiliar things.
Feeling Judged
A huge fear many have in life is the fear of judgment. Feeling inadequate from the smirks or comments you hear can crush one’s self-esteem, effectively scaring you away from trying the sport again.
You wouldn’t want someone scoffing at your golf swing, jump shot, or skating abilities, so it’s easier to avoid those sports entirely. The reality of it is that it rarely happens. The worst-case scenario you imagine is ten times worse than what you’ll actually face if you give a sport the good ‘ole college try.
Letting Others Down
In tune with feeling judged, it’s understandable that many individuals don’t try something—especially in a team setting—because they don’t want to let anyone down. While that’s a rational fear, that’s more of a “them” problem than a “you” problem.
They should get their priorities straight if anyone takes a game that seriously. It’s nice to be on the winning side of things; however, criticizing someone who might be bringing the team down is not worth criticizing. Encouragement is far superior to animosity.
Becoming a Laughingstock
As if you weren’t already dealing with a mountain of mental anguish, the fear of embarrassment can curb someone’s curiosity. No one wants to look like a fool regardless of the activity, and certainly, some sports have a way of making some gifted athletes in other activities look lost.
The remedy for this solution is to laugh at yourself and try again. Surely the greatest athletes in the world didn’t begin their rise to stardom by exuding pure excellence. Michael Jordan air-balled shots, Tiger Woods hit a ball out of bounds, and Shohei Ohtani struck out. Nothing to be embarrassed about if you’re trying to learn a game.
The Unknown
Finally, the fear of the unknown can paralyze someone with overwhelming fear. Even though pickleball continues to be the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., you may not want to stick out like a sore thumb because you lack everything you need to play the game.
Like the judgment and embarrassment factors, the unknown is not nearly as bad as expected. There might be some jitters initially, but you’ll quickly realize it’s not so bad.
Rather than letting people’s top fears when trying a new sport affect you, push those feelings aside and give it your best shot. Who knows what can happen? You may find a hidden talent or a new best friend you would have never met.
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