When you’re first beginning to get involved in sports, one of the first things to decide is whether you want to play a team sport, or an individual sport. As you might imagine, much of the answer to this question will stem from your own personality. Think about the types of things you like to do that aren’t related to sports. Take work projects, for example. If you find that you thrive in a team environment that requires collaboration and the support of others, you may find it simple and enjoyable to transfer those feelings onto a playing field. On other other hand, many people do their best work when they are alone. These are often the people that are said to have a “type A” personality, have huge amounts of personal motivation and do not have difficulty being productive without the urging of others.

Keep in mind that no matter if you choose to devote yourself to team sports or individual sports, you aren’t necessarily confining yourself as much as you might think. When you are competing in individual competitions, you’ll often notice that you see the same people at each competitive opportunity, especially if you are at the local and regional level. You can easily become friends with these other people who share your involvement in the sport, and use them as a source of support.  And, if you pick a team-based sport, you will often be practicing and conditioning your body on your own time, hitting the gym and lifting weights, outside of just practicing with your teammates on the field. Finally, keep in mind that it’s okay to experiment with a few sports before making a commitment.