By now, we’re well-versed in the many physical benefits of sport.
There’s a constant flow of new studies to prove what we already know – that leading an active lifestyle can help us to lose weight, assist heart attack recovery and even prevent the risk of some cancers, among other things.
But recent studies have also found a link between sport and confidence. Research shows that 75 percent of teenage girls attribute their self-esteem to having supportive friends and family, with goal setting and sports participation key factors found to improve confidence.
Backing the stats, there have been a number of sporting greats who’ve vocalised their positive experiences with sport, and how it has helped them to find value within themselves and improve other aspects of their lives.
Here, seven athletes who have spoken openly about sport improving their self-esteem:
Brought to you by Suncorp #TeamGirls
Kurt Fearnley, three-time Australian Paralympic Gold Medallist: “Sport has helped me with goal setting,” says Kurt. “Achieving success in sport is just like achieving success in other areas of your life. You have to plan well and take small steps to get to where you want to go. I also think that dealing with anxiety, motivation, success and failure in sport overlaps into a person’s general life. Managing pressure in sport has always helped me to put things into perspective and manage my life away from sport.”
Laura Geitz, Australian Diamonds netball player: As a spokesperson of Suncorp’s #TeamGirls, an initiative aimed at motivating young girls to start playing team sports to help boost their self-confidence, Laura is a firm believer in team spirit. “My TeamGirl moment is not standing on the podium receiving the gold medal – it’s having those 11 other sisters beside me. There’s no better feeling than being part of a group of girls who know, that individually, if they play their role to the best of their ability, then the magic will happen,” she says.
Mia Hamm, US soccer player: “I just know how [sport] empowered me. I was a really young, shy kid who was also from a military family, so we moved every 2-3 years. And sports was an easy way to make a connection when we moved to a new base, a new town, to people with similar interests. And I think it really helped give me confidence not only with that move but with feeling that I could contribute,” Mia told Time.
Gabi Simpson, Australian Diamonds netball player: “Taking strength from vulnerability is so important. When you’re young, you want other people to create that confidence, but it’s not until you can create it yourself that you’re able to be the best you that you can be.”
Kobe Bryant, NBA player: In his documentary Muse, Kobe Bryant spoke about his constantly-on-the-move childhood, stating “The thing that was always the most constant was the game. That was the refuge. That was the place I could go and have complete familiarity no matter where I was… whether I got along with the kids or didn’t get along with the kids, it didn’t matter because I always had my ball.”
Anne Schleper, American ice hockey player: A lot of my favourite memories come from playing sports in high school. I think it is very important to be a multisport athlete growing up,” she said. “It helps you with cross-training and you get to meet different people and bond with different groups.
Daniel Kowalski, two-time swimming Olympic medallist: “I initially got involved in the sport from following my sister Shevaun to the pool as a way of meeting people,” recalls Daniel. “We had just moved to Australia from overseas so it really was a social thing. I was not a great age-group swimmer, but I just loved it. I loved the feeling of swimming and the friends I made from it and I was always inspired by the history and tradition of the sport in this country.”
