As you may have noticed from your encounters with me at events and in lecture, (throwing a football around with my mate during Indigenous rugby halftime and my clothing attire to class), I’m a big ‘tom boy’. I have my favorite sports that I follow in the States, but I’ll watch and play anything and I was quite eager to go to a few Australian sports during my time studying abroad. I was so excited that I was able to take a class that actually required me to go to some of these events. My goal when I came here was to take classes that would get me involved within the culture of Australia. This class certainly accomplished this.
My favorite youth sport that I went to was the Nipper’s event. I think this was because it was the event I got to interact with all aspects there the most. I got to know a few parents and hear about their children’s experiences and potential future in sports. I got to speak with a kid about the fun they were having and really understand the nature of the sport and having fun with their mates. I even got to speak one on one with a volunteer, Keith, whom explained to me the logistics of the facility and how much it depends on volunteers. I was then able to see some real comparisons to a swim club I belonged to when I was in elementary school. I was impressed by the similar level of camaraderie the members had and truly touched by the story he shared about a member going through cardiac arrest and how much the club reached out to him.
My personal favorite that I got to play was lawn bowling. I surprised myself with how much fun I had. It seems like the weather was not on our side at a lot of the events I went to. However, we still stuck it out and had a great time. I thought lawn bowling would be similar to bowling in the States, but other than rolling a ball a specified distance, the two sports have nothing in common. However, lawn bowling did remind me of sport we play back home called Bocce Ball. As soon as one of my mates made this connection and explained it to me, I was immediately able to grasp the game better. I thought the ball being weighted on one side was pretty cool and added a twist to the technique. One thing I didn’t like was how the end was scored, and this may just be because my team was in the lead! What can I say, I don’t lose well!
One thing this course taught me was to interact more at the events. Usually I would’ve just gone and played and went home. However, since I’ve started this course, I began to like meeting new people, asking them heaps of questions and trying to immerse myself a bit more in the culture of the sport. For instance, at this particular event I started making friends with a few older men that had finished playing. They were having a bbq and offered me some food. I found it nice that these men came out and made lawn bowling a full day of fun for them. It reminded me a bit of the country club atmosphere we have back in the States. They even talked me into buying a raffle ticket to support their cause and I ended up winning a prize!
My mates and I got really into the rugby games. We made signs and dressed in all Rooster’s gear, which by the way made for an awesome souvenir! We chanted along with the crowd and getting into the games and making friends really helped us understand the sport more. In addition, it permitted me to understand the culture. Australians really do love their sports! This was proven to me after speaking with the young lads I met whilst I was in Melbourne, watching them play football. It was further proven to me after getting to know Dominic, the English rugby player I became close with. He explained to me the financial difference of playing rugby in Australia versus England. Although, he was only playing semi-pro here, he said that he’d be able to survive off of this income in England, but couldn’t here.
We learned in class the difference in salaries as well. The fact that so many athletes continue to play the sport despite this is awesome. There were many other differences in sport within Australia. When I first learned of netball, I assumed it was going to be the same as basketball. However, after discovering more about it through the class, I realized how different the sport is. In America, women play basketball and it’s simply a sport that both men and women play and the rules are the same and dress the same. In Australia, only women play netball and they wear a uniform that is a bit feminist, in which we learned was to try to attract more of an audience. Oh yeah, and their baskets don’t have backboards! I played a fair amount of basketball growing up and let me assure you, I would’ve had a terrible shot if it weren’t for my beloved backboard.
During this course, I was able to attend events that ranged from a variety of age groups and I really enjoyed this variety. I was able to observe youth sports as well as professional. Also, I was able to observe the culture that goes with these differences and how the sport can turn into a social experience for all those involved. Furthermore, through both the lectures and the sport events themselves, I was able to examine differences from sports I play and watch in the States and appreciate them. This class has impacted how I watch a sport I’m attending and I’m certain I will carry this back to the States. I’ve learned to appreciate all that comes with going to a sporting event, not just the rules and what team I’m rooting for, but the culture of the sport and its fans, and the atmosphere that comes with them.
