Jamil on Team Sports

1 - Tell me 3 things about yourself outside of being a team-sports player.

- I love my work, I am fortunate to work in one of my passions.

- I am vegan and love cooking.

- I have an awesome dog name Jackson.

2 - What sports do you play, and how often to you play them?

-Soccer: I play both indoor and outdoor on Footsie FC, so year round with a great group of people!

-Ultimate frisbee: I play on Foo Foo Twinkypants. It starts in the spring when the fields are dry enough to run, then goes till the end of August.

-Volleyball: I play over the winter months.

3 - How long have you been playing them?

I have been playing sports on teams since I was 5 years old.

4 – Would you describe yourself as a sporty guy? Are there stereotypes that go with being a team sports player?

No, I am definitely not a sports guy. Even when I played competitive sports, I never fit in with the jock/sports scene. I was the one player on the team out on the court or field with a mohawk and a crazy head band ha ha ha.

5 - Tell me about a great moment you’ve had playing sports lately.

Hmm well in the last year both my soccer and volleyball teams have won the championships, in the lowest divisions of course. But one of the great things about playing sports as an adult is that when you win the championship the team wins money. Our soccer team put it towards new uniforms. But overall I just love the feeling of stepping out on the field, I still get a little nervous like I did when I was younger before each game, and I like that feeling.

6 - How did you come to play team sports?

My parents put me on a soccer team when I was 5, even though you needed to be 6 to play. I spent all my free time in my early years outside playing some sort of sport.

7 - What do you love about playing with a team?

Its kind of funny, I used to play sports really competitively and I love the idea that as a group you could push yourselves harder and grow and become better with each other.  Now that I just play recreational sports, it is a great way to spend time with friends, a little bit of competition, but also supporting and developing and just playing.  It is the main stress relief I have.  It's nice to just run around on a field with people you like!

8 - What are the difficult parts of playing team sports?

Having only recently got back into playing after not playing sports for a number of years, one of the hardest parts is being competitive, but not too competitive that you are losing sight of the game and the fun you are having.

9 - What has surprised you about team sports?

I think the bond you develop with the people you play with.You need to trust, and interpret and be comfortable with people at whatever level they are at. And if you are good at it you have a ton of fun, if you are bad you have a ton of fun, its about just having fun.  (Jamil 15 years ago would have said something completely different ha ha ha.)

10 - How do your family and friends respond to you doing these extracurricular activities?

Great, my sister plays soccer and volleyball with me, so that is really nice. When we were young we were both selected on a co-ed indoor soccer team playing in a adults league, so it takes me back.  And this year we are also playing almost all our soccer games out by my parents' house, so they come out to every game and bring my nephew when he is around, my brother even comes to be the linesman, it is nice. My parents had to work a lot when we were young and were not able to come to alot of my games. I realize now that was the cost of registering me to play all these sports, but it's nice to have them there now.

11 - Who is the most supportive of you playing team sports?

My teams!  We like to win but we more like to have fun, it is great playing with people who are awesome sports about sports!

12 – In your experience, what is the best part about playing sports?

It gives me a reason to run around blow off steam and socialize!

13 - What sort of team-sports player would you describe yourself as?

Up until I finished high school I was super competitive, always pushing myself. Now I think I am more relaxed and just enjoy playing!

14 – Do you ever dabble in solitary sports, like running, cycling or yoga?

I don't. I find I lose motivation fast, I have to force myself to go to the gym a couple times a week, but if I have games scheduled I will be there!

15 – Say something about the difference team sports could make for kids.

Well this is something that was one of the most shocking things for me when I started working with inner city kids years ago: the complete lack of access and engagement to sports for kids.  Sports have the power to keep kids in school, connected them with strong role models and teach them so many valuable social lessons.  Sports is not the only solution for kids, but for some kids it's sports, others art, others mechanical things. If we don't have those things to give us hope, challenge our minds etc, there is not much out there.  Sports provides opportunities, not to mention the health implications of being active.

      16 – How accessible are team sports for the inner city kids you work with?

Compared to 8 years ago they are much better. Thanks to the work of people like Nick Tanchuck, Chino Argueta, Jesse Gair, sports access have increased 100% in the inner city. There are 500 youth a year that now have access that didn't when I first started with SNA.

17 - What have you learned about yourself from playing team sports?

Oh my sooo much. I have seen me at my worst and at my best with sports, I can only imagine the trouble I would have got into as a teen without sports.  when you are exhausted and need to muster some energy, you really see what kind of person you are. Also the choices you make on a field or on a court has more correlations to our broader lives then we think.

18 - Who are the best people to play with?

Competitive  people who work in social services ha ha ha. They are caring but still want to win, but won't hurt people to do it ha ha ha.

19 - If you could change one thing about your physical ability, what would it be?

I have been blessed with a lot of natural ability, I have always appreciated that.  I have also been blessed with a robust physique, so that has been a blessing and curse ha ha ha.  I don't think I would change anything. If I would have been taller and not have torn my ACL i may have been able to play university sports, but I don't regret that at all probably one of the best things for me was to leave sports for 10 years and open my world up!

20 - At the end of your life, how might participating in team sports have made a difference for you?

  

      Hey I might live longer, I might die sooner who knows. For me the relationships I have had, the amazing opportunities I have had, and the joy for playing is more then enough.