Team sports are great. When we’re watching from the stands or on the TV. Aside from the few people that make it pro, most of us give up team sports when we leave school. Even those of us that love going to the gym and working out often lose interest for playing team sports as we get older and it becomes clear that we can’t make money from it.

Why though? We don’t give up cooking meals because we’re not going to be the next Gordon Ramsay, and we don’t stop working out because we’re never going to win Olympic gold. So, why do we stop playing the team games that we once loved because we can’t go pro?

It’s true that team sports aren’t quite as accessible for adults. Once you leave school, you have to go out of your way to find teams and classes that you can join, but they are out there waiting for you. You might even find that if you hated playing team games in high school, you get new enjoyment out of them as an adult. Here are five reasons to give it a go.

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It’s Fun

In school, team games could be very competitive, and if you weren’t good, you got picked last for teams or spent the class hiding in the shadows. As an adult, you find a group that suits your ability. There’s no pressure to join a league; you can join a beginner’s team, filled with people who want to play casually and have fun. Then all you need is some fun gear like SafeJawz custom mouthguards to start enjoying yourself.

It’s Great Exercise

We need exercise to stay fit and healthy. But, there’s only so many times that you can run around the same park or use the same gym equipment before you start to get bored. Playing a team sport is a great way to get an even better workout without any of the tedium.

It’s Social

As adults, it can be hard to make new friends and extend your social circle. Many of us lose touch with our schoolmates and struggle to find anything in common with our work colleagues. This can mean we spend our evenings alone at home. Grown-up life can be lonely. Joining a team is a fantastic way to meet new people and get out of the house more. Even if you don’t have much in common, you’ll have your sport.

It’s Great Stress Relief

Exercise is always good for stress relief. It’s a fantastic way to let off some steam and work through your feelings. Team sports are even better. You’ll find that you let go of your worries when you are getting stuck in and having fun with all of your new friends.

It’ll Improve Your Critical Thinking

Team sports aren’t just about keeping fit and clearing your mind. It’s also about giving your brain a workout. When you play a sport, you have to think on the spot, make decisions quickly and learn to trust your judgement. These critical thinking skills can help you in other areas of your life too.