Playing sport surely has to be the most popular hobby in the world. The adrenaline from competing and the exhilaration of winning make everything you go through in training completely worth it. Although, there are plenty of things about sports that are, shall we say, less-than-desirable so we created a list of all the problems that sports players will understand, no matter what sport you play.
1) The Wait
You turn up on game day and the excitement for the match begins to build. We refuse to believe that anyone enjoys the warm up. It’s boring. All you want to do is get out there and play your game. No one turns up to stretch out the hamstring and then thinks “that was good fun, let’s go home”. No. Get us on the pitch.
2) Miniscule Changing Rooms
Is there anything more annoying than arriving to an away game and heading into the changing room to set down your kit bag and find your seat, only to find out your changing room is essentially a rabbit hutch. You may as well be sat on your teammates lap you’re so squeezed in.
3) Running Laps
Ugh. Do we even need to explain this one? There’s no way anyone enjoys fitness training. We’d rather watch paint dry than run about in the cold.
4) Having a Bad Game
It’s a feeling of absolute fury with yourself when you’ve not played to your best ability. You feel like you’ve let your coach down, your teammates down and, most importantly, you’ve let yourself down. Realistically, it is only just a game and your mates will tell you not to be worried about it but that won’t stop us from being annoyed for the rest of the week. Or year.
5) The Not-So-Great Referee
This one is possibly the most aggravating. Refereeing is an incredibly hard thing to do; you’re always a villian and there are plenty of scenarios where your opinion as a player all depends on which side you’re on. BUT, there’s nothing worse than a ref that both teams agree is absolutely rubbish. It can ruin a game and you’d love to respond saying what you really think but you can’t, because they’re the ref and their decision is final. But still…
6) Very, Very Cold Showers
You’ve finished the game, good win and you’re ready to clean off. Stepping into the shower, you turn on the tap expecting a nice, warm wash. All of a sudden, you’re shocked with what can only be ice water from the Antarctic. Honestly, you may as well make a new home with the penguins and a bloody polar bear because you’ll never really feel warm ever again.
7) Being Able to Smell the Minibus From a Mile Away
Clearly no one else fancied the cold showers because the minibus stinks! Having to sit for an hour or maybe more, surrounded by your sweaty teammates who have are all asleep. Maybe they’re tired or maybe they’ve been knocked out by the smell.
8) Forgetting to Unpack the Kit Bag
Whiff, stench, stink, funk – whatever you want to call it; there is no smell on earth worse than a kit bag that’s been accidentally left to sit for a few days after the game. I was going to try and describe it but there’s absolutely no words that will do it justice. Grim.
9) Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning
It’s just annoying isn’t it? The effort involved in having to put your kit in the wash or scrape the mud off your boots – especially if you’ve just left them in your bag for a week. We know, “take care of your kit and your kit will take care of you” but when your clothes are covered in mud and sweat and more mud, it’s hard to get motivated to clean when you know they’ll never be properly clean again.
10) The Next Day Aches
You’ve had a great time and enjoyed the match but jeez, was it really worth it? Your legs feel like they’re going to fall off. Trying to get out of bed? Ouch. Walking? Ouch. Sitting down? Ouch. Best thing to do is complain and get everyone in the house to do things for you instead.
11) Losing the Beloved Boots
A sad moment. Be it your favourite racquet or boots or jersey, it’s a painful loss to have to say goodbye to your favourite equipment. If you’ve not been sent cards to console you for your loss then have a word with your friends. We reckon you could stage a goodbye service to your broken gear to give them the send off they deserve. Although sometimes it’s best to get rid of it before it’s broken; especially in the case of lucky socks.
12) Injury FOMO
Yeah of course the pain is bad but it’s not what really hurts. An injury is nasty for sure but the real source of pain comes from not being able to get out there and do what you love. Watching your team carry on without you when all you want to do is join them. Injuries come as part and parcel of sport but that doesn’t bother you when you love it as much as you do.
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