Joining a Football Team - Advice

[RM160413]

Hello, this is my first post on the forum, thought I would come on this forum for a bit of advice.
I am thinking about joining a football team, but I am very nervous and apprehensive about doing it:unsure:, the reasons why are:-

1) I've never really played much before, when I had PE in school, I would just stand there and not do anything, plus the PE teachers in my school were kind of rubbish, they never really encouraged me in how to get better, they just favored the ones who were good at it.

2) I'm not very good at it, and I just have this vision if I do join a team, everyone there would have been playing for years and have a lot more experience and they would get annoyed if I make a mistake.

3) I was picked on a lot in school and I wasn't very popular with the "lads", so my reputation is a bit crap and most of them were on teams

4) I'm gay and I know that not many gay people play football so I'm a bit apprehensive about how my sexuality would go down there.

Any advice would be grateful

[Dazza123]

Id say go for it, you have nothing to lose, but I do understand your slight concerns with the whole bloke thing in football.

Im sure there are a lot of football teams around with gay members, and also some exclusively gay teams, would you feel more comfortable in an all gay team? If so I wonder if a search online for your local area might give you some contacts, or you could always advertise and make up your own team, there must be resources online for this?

[JMA]

1,2,3,4

I mean this is the best possible way, and am aware of where we are, but you need to throw all those points in the bin.

I play football ever Friday night down at the local Powerleague, and it is one of the best things ever. There really is no time to worry about stuff when your trying not to let some speedy 18 year old skin you and score a goal!

Honestly, I would play more if I didn't apparently have ankles made out of glass, and keep getting niggly injuries.

Anyway. You don't say what your situation is. If you work, is their a work team? Any friends play, and can get you a couple of games?

[RM160413]

I mean this is the best possible way, and am aware of where we are, but you need to throw all those points in the bin.

I play football ever Friday night down at the local Powerleague, and it is one of the best things ever. There really is no time to worry about stuff when your trying not to let some speedy 18 year old skin you and score a goal!

Honestly, I would play more if I didn't apparently have ankles made out of glass, and keep getting niggly injuries.

Anyway. You don't say what your situation is. If you work, is their a work team? Any friends play, and can get you a couple of games?

I'm 19 and I'm studying IT in college, I don't have many friends that play so I'm kind of out of luck there

[MyNameIsTerry]

Do they need to know you are gay? It doesn't matter really although I guess it avoids certain types of conversations that 'lads' can drunkenly be having after the games. Mt brother ran a team for years and there was a certain element of drunken behaviour and fighting on the pitch, etc but they are strict on fines and exclusions and they got on well with each other, he just got sick of chasing them up for money and backed out in the end.

I guess you would need to gauge the type of people you are playing with. If you get the feel they are bunch of nobs, then maybe its not worth it, but if they are ok, then maybe it would be?

One things for certain, no one at a Sunday League or pub team level is going to be brilliant so why not give it a go? You are under no obligation to remain in the team if you find it doesn't work for you.

[RM160413]

Do they need to know you are gay? It doesn't matter really although I guess it avoids certain types of conversations that 'lads' can drunkenly be having after the games. Mt brother ran a team for years and there was a certain element of drunken behaviour and fighting on the pitch, etc but they are strict on fines and exclusions and they got on well with each other, he just got sick of chasing them up for money and backed out in the end.

I guess you would need to gauge the type of people you are playing with. If you get the feel they are bunch of nobs, then maybe its not worth it, but if they are ok, then maybe it would be?

One things for certain, no one at a Sunday League or pub team level is going to be brilliant so why not give it a go? You are under no obligation to remain in the team if you find it doesn't work for you.

Would my lack of experience hold me back? I haven't really played much before

[MyNameIsTerry]

I doubt it. When my brothers team set up, most of them had played since school about 10 years earlier.

It depends on the team. If there are better players, you may be on the bench a bit but at least you would have the practice work.

[Dazza123]

My younger brother is in a team, and they are all good footballers, so lack of experience is likely to be an issue to be honest, especially if you try to join a team of established players, so as I said previously why not try to set up your own team, you are at college so you could put a notice up asking, then there will be local leagues you can join. My brother plays 5 a side at a sports club, in Leckwith Cardiff. So Im sure there are similar places to that around your area. To be honest, any team you join are going to want good footballers to join their teams as the aim is to win, but setting up your own team means you are all new and in the same boat. You can then have a kick around to see how good you all are, and decide where you go from there.