I'm just saying I have spent a lot of time doing both, and joining a sports team is just more effective if you're trying to make friends. Virtually everyone that joins a team is there to make friends, have fun and maybe get fit. Another unrelated reason is if they are there to compete at the professional level which is totally different situation.
loneliness has many antidotes, not just having/making friends. just interacting with other people can stem loneliness.
i both volunteer and play sports (basketball) and while some benefits overlap, i do each for principally different benefits.
basketball provides both regular exercise (that i like and do willingly) and an outlet to be competitive (and even aggressive).
volunteering provides an opportunity to learn something new and give to others.
that both reduce loneliness is icing on the cake.
Sports was better for you, at least for the sports you chose and the volunteering opportunities you chose. That’s fine.
To apply your anecdata to the rest of the world and shout the following is what’s troubling.
> No way! I totally vehemently disagree.
For one, it's not an option for everyone, particularly the less able bodied. But more importantly, being the weak link in sports team can actually be a very isolating and lonely experience. Even if it's a casual/intramural setting, if you suck at the sport and are actively causing your team to lose, you will more than likely not have a good time and will not feel more connected to people, even if they make a good faith effort to make you feel welcome and included despite you being a detriment to the team.
Source: I joined a casual sports team to be less lonely, and ended up feeling socially worse off for it. Not saying that will be everyones experience, but I would "totally vehemently disagree" that it's an unequivocally better option than volunteering.
"For one, it's not an option for everyone, particularly the less able bodied". I was speaking in general that apply to the masses. You can't take every advice you hear and apply it blindly - you need some way to filter out all the advice in this world, including this one. I have strong opinions about this topic and feel free to reject it. This my part of offering my wisdom/experience and I hope it'll save people time and heartache. I'm not offering any guarantees though. Nothing is guaranteed!
And what's the obesity rate and chronic pain rate of "the masses"? Do you know?
I can't speak to chronic pain. That requires medical attention.
1. You're meeting people of the same gender, not a mixed group usually
2. No time or patience for politics
3. (Some) sports usually attract overly competitive people who don't know (or don't care about) basic civility
4. Level/skills differences
(I agree with the carpooling commentary though)
"No time or patience for politics" - then you have no patience for human relationships as well. Politics is inevitable in every organization/company/team/community. Some say it's better to learn and fuck up in a sports team than in your company.
"(Some) sports usually attract overly competitive people who don't know (or don't care about) basic civility" - that's a pretty bold statement. You can find rec teams in almost every sport that don't attract the hard asses and the overly committed.
"Level/skills differences" - the difference is not the issue. People being assholes and stuckup is the issue. Don't play for those teams
"(I agree with the carpooling commentary though)" - I agree
For me, religion sucks. But religion works for many people. For some, volunteering may be the best option and for some, sports. There is no one size fits all, one is better than the other solution.
People might decide to do more than one, depending on their mood (why not volunteering and sports?) - I don't think problems like loneliness has a one size fits all solution
Get out of the process thinking and look at the outcome of what it does.
1. You'll experience pain and success as a team that strengthens the relationship with everyone
2. Politics may occur (eg:who gets benched and who gets the play when it counts the most). This will be a test of character and integrity which is vital for any future meaningful relationship. These are the types of relationships that you keep/survive when you stop playing the sport or when you've moved on to another team.
3. You'll workout and get some exercise. It's good for your health (duh)
4. You're most likely to be in a team where everyone is committed to seeing each other on a regular schedule until the season ends. Unlike volunteering, you may never see a person again after you have met them.
5. After a hard practice/game, you'll most likely go out for food/drinks. It'll be an opportunity for people to express themselves outside of the game.
6. You'll eventually find out who lives where and figure out a way to carpool to practice/games and back home. I have developed very meaningful relationships while carpooling. Conversations get deeper and more honest when you're have a 1-to-1 conversation.
Updated - fixed spelling/grammar