Sport Provides Mates for Life
On Friday night I found myself back in Pukekohe, the place where I grew up playing sport.
I caught up with a group of mates I’ve known for decades. Apart from my older brother, Jimmy, and my cousin, Dean, every one of them came into my life through sport. Neil, Gavin and Greg joined us, with Dean hosting the evening at The Monarch Café.
As always, there was plenty of laughter, old stories and good-natured banter.
Driving home afterwards, I realised something.
It wasn’t just that we’d shared games together all those years ago. We’d shared experiences that shaped us. Wins and losses. Pressure and disappointment. Team buses. Clubrooms. Long conversations. Turning up for one another. Those experiences quietly built friendships that have lasted a lifetime.
It also struck me that every one of these men is still giving back to sport in some way.
Between them they’ve been players, captains, coaches, committee members, club presidents, board members, sponsors, life members and loyal volunteers. Like thousands of New Zealanders, they continue to strengthen the communities that once helped shape them.
That reminded me of a conversation I recently had with Professor Grant Schofield.
He spoke about how many of today’s challenges stem from wanting the reward before the effort. Modern life increasingly promises comfort first, while asking less of us in return. Yet as human beings, we’re wired to grow through challenge. Effort comes first. The reward follows.
Sport still offers one of the healthiest environments to learn that lesson.
It asks us to train when we’d rather stay home.
To keep turning up after disappointment.
To work together.
To solve problems.
To contribute.
To serve something bigger than ourselves.
And somewhere along the way, without even noticing, the reward arrives.
Not just in trophies or results.
But in confidence.
Resilience.
Purpose.
Belonging.
And friendships that are still sitting around a café table thirty or forty years later.
Perhaps that’s why sport has such an enduring place in our lives.
It’s never really been about the game.
It’s always been about the people we become because we chose to play, contribute and stay involved.
So here’s my question for today:
Where in your life are you still choosing effort before reward?
Because those are often the places that end up giving us the richest lives.
Craig Ross
Founder | Brave & Beyond
Making the moments that matter count — one family at a time.