THIS WEEK, WE’RE looking at the mental health benefits of sport.
There is good evidence that team sport can help build relationships of all kind. Sports psychologist Niall Stack cites studies showing that clubs may work as social catalysts, leading to “enhanced involvement and participation.”
For many people, that means a new group of friends – but it can be more.
Take Sam Bewley and Charlotte Bowen, for example, whose decision to take up touch rugby with Donnybrook proved to have a positive effect on their love life.
As part of Team42, they took part in the Cadbury #BoostYourAwareness Touch Rugby Blitz at Lansdowne Rugby Club last Friday — but we wanted to know how rucks led to romance.
“I didn’t know Sam before at all, so we met playing in Donnybrook,” says Charlotte.
“He lives near my house and would drive me home after training and that’s kind of how it started.”
Sam agrees that the beginning of their relationship was helped along by the social nature of the sport.
“With touch, you do get to know everyone quite well at training and tournaments.
“It’s quite easy to balance the social side of things with the competitiveness.
“At a tournament, the first few games are of an easy standard and then, towards the end, things get more serious.
“But it’s always good fun.”
Both Charlotte and Sam agree that being part of a team together helps motivate them both.
“I can never motivate myself to go to the gym or go for a run on my own,” says Charlotte.
“I’d always find excuses or convince myself I didn’t have the time.
“But with touch, because it’s so social, you feel an obligation to go to training because everyone else is there and you want to be there for your team-mates.”
Meet the rest of Team42
So does competitiveness on the pitch ever spill off it?
Charlotte, who also plays full contact rugby, says that while things rarely get competitive between her and Sam, being on the same team drives them both to improve.
Sam agrees:
“It’s a good team sport, so you have to all be on the same page so there’s not a huge amount of competitiveness but you are always trying to better yourself.”
Cadbury Boost are proud sponsors of Irish rugby and ran the Cadbury #BoostYourAwareness Touch Rugby Blitz on Friday, 19 May at Lansdowne Rugby Club.
All proceeds from the Cadbury #BoostYourAwareness Touch Rugby Blitz go to Aware.
