When it comes to playing sport, it seems everybody wants to play the hero.
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They all want to be the striker in soccer, the full forward in Aussie rules, the goal shooter in netball.
It therefore follows, that they don’t want to be the goalie, the full back or the goalkeeper.
So many people put a higher value on being the point scorer because it’s where all the glory is.
No one wants to be the point stopper – they’re the spoilsport, the person stopping something from happening.
Just go to any kids sport on a Saturday morning and have a look at what the parents clap for.
Any time the team scores some points – even if it was a total fluke – there’s loads of clapping and cheering.
When a defender stops points, if there is clapping at all it’s almost a resigned “well, I guess we have to applaud but jeez, it wasn’t very exciting, was it?” clap.
I speak from years of experience, because I am a defender. Any sport I’ve played – rugby league, basketball, AFL, indoor soccer – I’ve preferred defending to attacking.
That happened for two reasons. Firstly, I realised ages ago the fastest way to make yourself indispensable on any team is to find the role no one else wants to do and then make it yours.
Secondly, I found I was really good at it. I had the personality for it – I could just react to what my opponent did rather than having to initiate some form of attack.
Also, I don’t need the constant praise and attention goalscorers desperately crave.
A good defender is just as valuable as a good attacker – a team can score all the points they want but if the other side scores more, they lose.
So next time you watch or play sport, give the defenders more respect – we’re the ones working harder than those glory hounds up front.