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Exercising Your Competitive Edge
by Eileen Nicol

What are the benefits of participating in competitive sports beyond better health and fitness? According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, women who play sports are more confident and have higher self-esteem. They also have a more positive body image, and they experience higher states of psychological well-being than women who don’t play sports. Physical activity promotes health, and sports are a fun way to get weight-bearing exercise that develops bone mass.

But did you ever stop to consider that playing sports can help you in the business world as well? Skills traditionally learned in sports are valuable in the business world because of the similarities between the two. For example, teams are chosen based on people’s strengths and competencies rather than who is well liked. In hierarchical organizations, the boss is like a head coach who gives orders that she expects employees, like players, to follow.

On the playing field or court, through repeated exposure to competition, women learn that pressure and deadlines can be fun. When the clock ticks down and your team is behind by one point, you learn what pressure is all about. In addition, you can always increase your team’s edge by studying the competition and preparing for a game, and these skills increase your worth in any work environment.

These are the reasons why more parents are fostering their daughters’ athletic aspirations, and why more women play (or continue to play) sports as adults. In the Seattle area there are many ways to make sports an important and fun part of our lives. Whether you are just starting out in a sport, or are getting back into it after a layoff, here are some opportunities to consider.

Rowing

One thing we have plenty of in Seattle is water, and our relatively young city has a long rowing history. Rowing is a sport that combines a great workout with a lot of fun. Many local rowing clubs offer classes to help women get started. Mary Madison, a Bainbridge Island teacher, began that way and quickly became hooked. Now she competes at the masters level, and loves it. “It’s a change to have a plan for my life. My time is more important to me now,” she says. Like many other novices, she started out sweep rowing (using one oar in an eight-person boat) but quickly discovered the joy of sculling, handling two oars in a two-person boat. Last summer, Madison had the thrill of winning bronze and silver medals at the masters competition in Edmonton, Alberta. “It’s all about fun. I still say that every time I come up to a dock.”

Seattle’s Pocock Rowing Center (www.pocockrowing.org) is a good place to investigate rowing. It has boat bays at water level, training facilities and locker rooms, and it serves over 400 rowers from eight different clubs. It’s open to anyone with an interest in rowing competitively or learning to row, although there are monthly dues if you decide to join. It’s located on Portage Bay on the southwest side of the University Bridge at 3320 Fuhrman Avenue East.

Three women’s rowing clubs operate out of the PRC, and all offer practices, equipment and support for women who want to get involved. One of them is the Cascade Women’s Rowing Club, described by its members as “a team of competitive women rowers committed to both the fun of rowing as well as excellence at competitions at the local and national level – and having lives outside of crew.” According to their Web site, membership in the club runs about $110 a month, which includes use of the Pocock Center facilities. The club is sponsoring an event July 10 to introduce people “from 13 to 103” to the sport of rowing. For more information and registration, see www.cascaderowing.com.

Tennis

Tennis offers opportunities for fitness, socializing and competition as intense as you desire. Julie Riely, a business owner and mother, found immense opportunities for growth in the sport when she took it up seriously at age 40. “I’ve gotten confidence that applies across the board to everything I do now,” says Riely. She loves playing with people of all ages and looks forward to many more years of tennis. “I figure I can get better at my strokes until I’m 50, then I’m going to have to get crafty.” Riely particularly values the opportunity to bond with other women. “Through the team, I’ve learned how to interact in a positive way with other women.” She also plays with each of her sons once a week, and plans to continue to do so until they go off to college. “I can play with someone who is 12 years old or someone who is 75 years old and have a good game.”

Playing tennis outdoors is great but if you want to progress year-round in Seattle, you’ll need to find some indoor courts. Seattle Parks and Recreation offers tennis instruction and programs at the Amy Yee Tennis Center, which has 10 indoor courts and is located on Martin Luther King Way. However, their programs are so popular that they’ve instituted a lottery system for registration. More information about adult tennis programs at Amy Yee can be found at www.cityofseattle.net/parks/athletics/stc/adult.

Private tennis clubs also offer workouts, classes and usually charge minimal United States Tennis Association and/or league play fees. A fun way to practice and meet people is to participate in Flights, a series of doubles matches with rotating partners of similar skill levels. Many tennis players compete through USTA leagues and teams formed at local clubs. Read up about tennis opportunities and tips at www.usta.com.

The Seattle area also has an active Cups Tennis Association. This nonprofit association provides an opportunity for women from tennis clubs and other tennis facilities in the greater Seattle and Everett area to play competitive tennis. Doubles matches begin in September and run though March, pitting teams from local clubs of similar levels against each other. Ask about Cups tennis at your local tennis club.

Not ready for competition yet? For $50 to $75 an hour, a professional tennis instructor can help you get up to speed or brush the cobwebs off your game. Or perhaps you just want to get fit and hit a lot of balls. Cardio tennis is a new fitness option offered at three local clubs: Harbor Square in Edmonds, Forest Crest in Mountlake Terrace, and The Sports Club in Stanwood. In cardio tennis, you get short cycles of high intensity workouts and periods of rest, almost like interval training. It is a fun group activity where players of all abilities enjoy tennis together.

Soccer

Seattle boasts a very active amateur soccer scene. Aficionadas can get their fix on women’s only or coed teams. “Seattle sends some fabulous women’s teams to national tournaments,” says Janet Schott, an executive who plays on three teams and does one weekly skill development practice. Her current goal is to help her team win Nationals. “Why would they take you just because you’re nice? My personal goal is if someone’s putting together a team, I want them to say ‘I want Janet Schott because she can play every position; she can play left of the field, right of the field; she’s fun, she’s competitive, and she drinks a beer or two afterwards.’” She’s been playing 10 years, ever since her daughter tried the sport. “Schott credits her healthy bones and joints to her dedication to fitness through soccer. “It’s a lot more fun than going to the gym,” she says. “Any mom should be able to play soccer one day a week!”

The Washington State Women’s Soccer Association (www.wswsa.org) is all about playing and promoting soccer. Founded in 1974 as a state chapter of the Women’s Soccer Association, it serves approximately 150 competitive and recreational women’s soccer teams. If you want to check them out, they offer free Saturday practices which feature skills, drills and a friendly scrimmage. Another local soccer resource is the Co-Rec Soccer Association (www.co-recsoccer.com). Every season they coordinate over 400 coed, men’s and women’s teams, stressing fair play rules that emphasize finesse, skill and strategy over brute force. For $20, you can attend any four Saturday clinics at the Woodland Park Lot #2, where you will meet coaches and other players interested in forming coed teams.

Golf

Many business deals are made over a game of golf, and more and more women are playing golf for business and for pleasure. The Seattle area boasts many public and private courses, and most of them offer either group or individual instruction. For less than $20, you can rent clubs and practice your swing all day at the Interbay Golf Center in an all-weather, heated driving range. At the Jefferson Park Golf Course you can take five one-hour weekly small group lessons for $90. Or get a private one-hour lesson for $70. Jefferson Park also offers video golf lessons, which are great for visual learners or for those who want take-home material for self-correction between lessons. Find out more at www.seattlegolf.com about lessons and events at Interbay Golf Center, and the golf courses at Jefferson Park, Jackson Park and West Seattle.

The Executive Women’s Golf Association was formed in 1991 to provide opportunities for women to learn, play and enjoy the game of golf for business and for life. Seattle’s chapter of the EWGA is the sixth largest, with more than 350 members. Their Web site, www.ewgaseattle.org, has information about their events and clinics, including a weeknight nine-hole league. Typically, their events run from March through November, beginning with a spring tee-off and ending with a banquet. Events range from charitable benefits to a championship golf series, and offer networking and socializing in addition to the chance to play. Membership is open to golfers of all skill levels – women new to the game are welcome.

Etcetera

Remember dodge ball? Always wanted to have a “Joe’s Bar” jersey? Perhaps the Underdog Sports League is for you. It’s a fairly sure bet you’ve already played at least one of their league sports, from coed softball, soccer, and volleyball, to kickball and bowling. According to their Web site, “While USL never turns away real athletes or people who take sports seriously, most of our members are not superstars or blue chippers, but rather everyday underdogs who want to play a game or two, meet some people, and go talk about the game afterwards at the local watering hole.” The emphasis is on fair play and good times, and they are forming teams now for spring and summer. See www.underdogseattle.com for more details.

Spring is a time for new growth, a time when many of us feel the urge to get out and move. It’s the perfect season to try something new or renew your pleasure in that sport you used to love. So go ahead, reach out, and discover the fun of joining other women to increase your skills, socialize and compete. With all the health and psychological benefits, participating in competitive sports can be a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Eileen Nicol, who plays competitive tennis and runs a business with her husband, is a frequent contributor to Seattle Woman. She lives on Bainbridge Island.

©2006 Caliope Publishing Company