A sporting club is not simply just somewhere you play sport!!

Are you part of a sporting club?

What got you there? Was it the sport that you love? Your mates are there?

Team spirit can mean so much more

There are so many reasons that people join a sporting a club. I believe that whatever reason that you join, the reason you stay is because of the sense of community.

People want to belong, and feel like they are a part of a 'group'. Not as a status symbol, but they want that intangible feeling of being wanted and needed. That sense of community and belonging is hard to replicate in any other environment. Sure the sports and health benefits are great too, and be able to be competitive and have your own interest which makes it  a very appealing option for many.

This blog was inspired by a tragic loss of a young teenage cricketer (and soccer player) on the Central Coast of NSW. It showed how incredible this sense of community spread so quickly.

His family were involved in the Kincumber Avoca Cricket Club and Avoca Football Club of which became an incredible support for the family and for each other. Within days the clubs sprung into action to provide support to the players who had been affected. The older players being there for the younger players as well as each other. It was incredible to see this shortly after this tragic death, but also at the funeral. Whilst a shame that this situation occurred, it made me proud to be amongst a group of cricketers who clearly were unwavering of their support to the family and to each other.

Your sporting club really becomes part of your family. In fact there are many people you would see from your club more than your own family as you see each other at least once a week (often twice). This is why clubs are so important and that as part of a club you have a sense of responsibility to create that space in those that you are involved in. Its not about in-fighting or politics (whilst many clubs have this), its about coming together for a common purpose of sport but leave with more than just sports in common.

You might be just the person that someone feels comfortable talking to because you share the sport in common. You might be the first person to tell them they have a done a good job, or have great talent. Choose your words to always build up and not pull down. In particular if you have players who are developing or that you are coaching. Always find something good in people that you play alongside.

Parents who are involved in their kids sports, remember that there is a lot they are still learning from you. Choose your conversations about other players and officials wisely when in the presence of your kids.  Kids with a bad attitude in sports grow up to be adults with a bad attitude in sports. Talk about how you can support and help your team mates. Speak well of officials and administrators. If they don't get picked in a team don't make excuses, just show them how to be gracious and supportive of those friends who have. 

Our family is so fortunate to be involved in 2 great clubs in Kincumber Avoca Cricket Club and Gosford City Rebels. We have great people around us and our kids and are both clubs that are about 'club spirit' and not just about the individual players. Its where we go along to watch others play to show our kids that its not just about turning up to play and going home, but about being there for those people in your club. We chat on the sideline with the families and friends to show we are available if we are needed. We volunteer to make sure that the club can continue to run. All are done happily and willingly, as people before us have done that for us and our children. 

If you need connection and community, sure you will find it a variety of ways. Online through social networking sites, at churches, community groups, volunteering at soup kitchens etc. Whatever you do, find somewhere that you can connect. Find people that you can talk to so you will always have someone to ask you 'Are you ok?', it could save your life or the life of someone else one day.

This post dedicated to the Lerway family

When you realise you 'fit'!

Life can be tough. There are challenges thrown at you. Some of them you have control over, but many of them you do not. 

What makes dealing with these challenges more difficult is being in a job that is not the right fit. We have all been in jobs like that, and not necessarily because you aren't capable of the work either. We all possess skills that enable us to do different types of work. But these jobs don't help us get out of bed in the morning or feed our soul. 

What's incredible is the way it so subtly affects the rest of your life. It's not until it changes that you realise how it slowly wears you down. Coming against opposition, working in a culture that doesn't match your values, doing work that is not valued, not being challenged, and not being able to effect change can all be symptoms of being in wrong job. 

It is best described as being a square peg in a round hole. You just don't fit. You can try to shift position, push really hard, even try and approach it a different way, but nothing changes the fact that you are simply not a match for that round hole. 

Recently I have noticed that a change in my work situation changed my mood and my life. I had quickly realised that I had a passion for social media. The work that I was doing when I came to that realisation was definitely not a match, in fact I couldn't even look at social media from my work or phone throughout the day. This passion caused me to look outside of my work to fill the hole to give me what I needed to feel balanced and find that passion again. I found how my passion could fill a need at our local sports clubs and volunteered to create and maintain a suite of social media accounts for them. 

PERFECT! So now I am feeling like I am really doing something. But still not enough, I wanted to be able to work in this field so I needed to make myself more marketable to work that might come up in that area. I sought out a course that gave me qualifications in the field. This further stirred my desire to find somewhere I would 'fit'. 

Through making contacts and marketing myself as an asset to any digital communications team, it finally happened!!! 

Yes............I found a square hole!

Not just any square hole! A job which meets my occupational needs, and my personal needs (work-life balance). I am amazed at the difference in my life and how it affected my mood and my family life. The people I work with are trusting, friendly and supportive of what I do. Very blessed.

It didn't come easy and this process has taken about 18 months to find that fit! But it is worth it. You can't give up when you realise you don't fit. 

Sometimes you have to make tough decisions and put yourself out there, because trying to get into a round hole is going to hurt more than hunting for that spot where its not uncomfotable to 'FIT'!

An open letter to the basketball community of NSW

Let's shine basketball community

To NSW basketball community,

I know that I have not met every single one of you, but of the many that I have I wanted to share my experience and thanks for embracing our little family into the fold. 

Only 3 years ago we joined the basketball community more seriously with our eldest daughter (then 13) being selected to represent a country club on the Central Coast. From this moment on we have met some of the kindest, genuine and nicest people.

Being a new family we had a lot to learn about regulations, competitions, selection opportunities, new locations, team dynamics, and all around expectations of being a basketball family. We have been helped so much along the way with all of these things.

I have had the privilege of watching a ridiculous amount of basketball games over a number of locations and in matches at club level, school competitions, Country Tournaments, State Cup and State Championships. In addition to that attended a number of WNBL & NBL games and Waratah League matches too including finals weekend. I have spoken with players, family members, parents, coaches, managers, adminstrators, volunteers and fans of the game. 

I have surmised that the basketball community is the best sporting community that NSW has to offer.

Our family has been sewn into the fabric of the basketball community and very quickly immersed ourselves amoungst this wonderful group of people. We consider it an honour to be considered part of this sport and whilst it doesn't get the support or the coverage that it deserves, I will continue to do what I can to raise the profile of basketball in this state and country. 

So I ask you all the question? Are we all doing our part to support the sport at all levels?

I challenge everyone to talk about basketball with your friends, your colleagues  when you're at the shops, when you're at the hairdressers, when you're talking with business people, on social media, at speaking engagements and on the telephone. Email your local paper and TV news to petition them to put more basketball stories in print and on the television.

Go to your local matches, support the sport by becoming a member of a an NBL & WNBL team nearby. If you have the means, consider sponsoring a club that has a junior representative side. 

It's a GREAT community and over time I can't wait to meet more and more of you over the coming years. Thanks for everything so far and for yet another brilliant basketball season. 

Hannah Pate

Basketball Tragic & Fanatic Supporter