How to start competitive sports at any age

We’ve all been there. You’re watching the Olympics or Paralympics for the fifth day in a row and you see Simone Biles or Oksana Masters standing at the top of the podium winning yet another medal. As you sit on your couch, you start to think, “If I had made a few different life choices, would I have gotten this far?”

With the Olympics just behind us and the Paralympics starting today, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and joy of competitive sport. While many of these elite athletes started playing sports as children, it’s never too late to start something new. Whether your goals are competition, fitness, or community, there’s an option for everyone. Read on to learn how you can stop dreaming of athletic glory and start your brand new sport.

Overcome intimidation.

For those interested in a new sport, a group class can be a great way to learn the skills needed to perform and compete. Many places that offer classes for kids often offer classes for adults as well. While this may seem daunting, it’s important to remember that you’re not the only person trying something new.

Hector Salazar leads adult fitness classes at the Chelsea Piers Field House in Chelsea, Manhattan. He says interest in the classes skyrocketed after the Olympics.

“We have a lot of people who have never done gymnastics before,” Salazar says. “Our enrollment has doubled since the Olympics began, which is crazy.” He says the students who take the classes are largely mixed in terms of their experience level. “We have people who were former gymnasts and want to relive all the glory, and some who [have] never done [gymnastics] before.”

Start small.

If you’re worried about your abilities or aren’t ready to fully commit to a group activity, Salazar suggests starting with something simple. He recommends starting with some light stretches.

“I would start by moving your body and seeing what you can and can do,” Salazar tells PS. “Start with some stretching and then maybe some light exercises and you’ll notice. How does your body respond? And then you can move on.”

Find joy in it.

When balancing adult work life and a new hobby, it’s important to have fun doing it – and that means the ups and downs. Kristen Faulkner, for example, just won two medals at the Paris Olympics. Faulkner, a professional cyclist, took up the sport after college while working a full-time job in venture capital.

“Through cycling, I immediately built a circle of friends when I moved to New York,” says Faulkner. “Some of the women were older than me and I enjoyed having them as mentors in a new city.”

The former Harvard rower and Alaska native says the journey hasn’t necessarily been easy. “When you’re learning a new sport as an adult, you have to be really humble because you’re a beginner again. However, I didn’t mind being a beginner at all because I enjoyed the learning process. Since I was in my first year of work, I was also the ‘beginner’ at work. So during my first year in NYC, I was a beginner both at work and at cycling.”

Faulkner said that her mentors helped her a lot in the early days when she was having doubts.

“I once had a really good mentor. I said [to her]’I’m just not a good sprinter.’ She replied: ‘That’s not true. You’re just not a good sprinter, still.’ I kept this attitude whenever I was bad at something. Instead of thinking, ‘I’m bad at XYZ,’ I told myself, ‘I’m just not good at it. still.'”

Don’t underestimate the competition or yourself.

For those who want to compete, there are numerous opportunities in the adult world. Examples of these competitions include the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC) Masters Competition and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) competitive diving competitions. Sports associations such as the National Wheelchair Basketball Association have 8 different team classes with options for players who want to play for fun or at an elite level. For those who dream of the Paralympic Games, the Paralympic Sport Development department is an available resource. You can fill out a questionnaire and get more information on qualifying.

While there are some elite levels in the above competitions, the age restrictions are often much greater or non-existent. If you think a new sport might be too late for you, Faulker says, “You never know until you try it. And if you enjoy it and are willing to work hard, you’ll only get better every day.”

Odeya Pinkus is a freelance writer based in New York. She studied English at Binghamton University and earned her master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University. Her writing has appeared on PS, InStyle, and Today.com.