I’m a big believer in the power of sport as a force for good in the world. So I was delighted when student advocate and host of the Sports for All podcast, Eden Byrne, agreed to write a blog about her experiences of kindness in sport. Eden’s sport is taekwondo, a sport I know nothing about, but the lessons in this blog apply, no matter which sport you’re involved in.
From my own experiences being involved in taekwondo for over 10 years I have seen firsthand what kindness can look like in practice and how it can really make all the difference to whether or not you enjoy your club and your sport and whether you don’t.
There can be many challenges within the sporting world such as a lack of opportunities, stigma and stereotypes, injustices and funding issues. But the one thing that can help these problems to feel even a little bit smaller is having a supportive kind and inclusive atmosphere within the club.
The thing that really helped me within my club has been the supportive atmosphere that was created even from the beginning. From the first day I remember getting introduced to other members of the club who could help me out and the coaches were all really friendly as well. My coach really modelled this kindness and created an inclusive and supportive environment within the club from the early stages and this continued to grow as the club developed.
A sense of community
It is s also really important to create a sense of community and connection within the club.Every year we had a Korean club festival in in the summer which was a celebration of what everybody had achieved that year and was a nice way to come together as a club.
The parents also helped to create that positive and supportive environment. For example when we used to go away for competitions, we always used to have a social activity alongside that which I know for me that is what I remember about competitions. I don’t remember the medals that I got or didn’t get. I remember the memories and I think that really demonstrates the importance of promoting a sense of community within the club environment.
Be kind to yourself and inspire others
Sport can be really competitive not always necessarily in the way that we think of stereotypical competitions but you can also put a lot of pressure on yourself. I think encouraging and supporting other people within your club and also trying to be kinder in the way that you speak to yourself can really help change not only your mindset but also support the other members in your club who might also be struggling with this. For example, if you don’t win a medal try not to beat yourself up about it and instead reframe your thoughts and narrative.
Within my podcast, I have been lucky to speak to so many amazing people all across the world who are doing great work to improve access and opportunites for other others to be able to get involved in sport. The power of having these conversations and learning and taking action from them is something that is often underestimated. Bbut I know that I have been super inspired to keep speaking out about the injustices and barriers that people face within the sporting community.
I hope that even one of the conversations that I have featured on my podcast inspired somebody to think about these barriers and try and make even a small step to creating a more positive and inclusive environment within their sport.
3 tips on how to create a positive, kind atmosphere within a club setting
- Set a good example
If you are in a leadership position within the club, but also just within the sports community, then setting a good example to others is really important. For example, this could look like posting positive things on social media or encouraging younger members in the club to support and be kind to each other. Being a kind, supportive and inclusive leader can have a positive ongoing effect and encourage others to act in this way too.
2. Encourage a sense of community and connection amongst team members
This could be by organising social activities or even just being really welcoming and supportive of new members, for example by encouraging a buddy scheme.
3. Create an inclusive atmosphere
This can cover a range of different things. Ensuring that all people accessing the sport, no matter what their ability, age or gender, feel like they’re able to participate and are given equal opportunities to do so, can really help promote an inclusive atmosphere amongst the club.
I think we often have this perception of kindness being something massive that people have to go out of their way to do . But even just smiling at a teammate or having a conversation with somebody that you might not have spoken to before can really help to create and foster a sense of community. This helps make not just the club, but also the sporting world, a much better and kinder place to be part of.
About the author
Eden (she/her) is a 22 year old from Belfast Northern Ireland. She is currently in her first year of university studying childhood and youth studies. She also hosts her own podcast called Sports for All on be the change media network which aims to promote inclusivity and accessibility within sport. Find her on LinkedIn.
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