Tim Malone, SaddleBrooke Ranch Resident and Softball Player
Resilience plays a significant role in all of our lives. It’s not just a personality trait, but a set of actions, behaviors, and thoughts that can be developed and nurtured over time. Examples of resilience may include a positive attitude, effective coping skills, healthy thinking, hobbies, and other activities. Resilience enables older adults to adapt to life changes, such as retirement or physical limitations, and find new meaning and health outcomes.
“Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving; we get stronger and more resilient.” —Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
Resilience and Softball
Developing resilience can involve facing and conquering challenges which, in turn, strengthens an athlete’s ability to cope with future difficulties. Batting a softball can result in various types of injuries. Common ones include ankle sprains, knee injuries, shoulder injuries, and wrist and elbow injuries. Fielding softballs can cause injuries and often do. Senior softball and resilience go hand in hand. The love of the game draws players to rehab and to get back on the field.
Dominic Borland says he tries to prevent injuring himself by properly warming up. He does lots of stretching of his hamstrings and glutes. “I pay attention to how my body adapts to the stresses of playing a softball game.”
“I lift weights and do stretches,” says Art Rango. “Some of my common stretches include shoulder shrugs, triceps pull-downs, hip circles, and hamstring curls. I like to play loose. Playing ‘loose’ doesn’t mean being careless. I try to be relaxed, focused, and ready to try to perform at my best.”
Charlie Kennedy says he likes to start with jogs along the side of the field before games. “It is important to stretch out my legs so I am ready to run full speed without fear of injury.”
It has been said that here at SaddleBrooke there are two types of players: those who have been hurt and those who are going to get hurt. It takes resilience to face the challenges of recovery. It takes inner strength to keep coming back to play. Senior softball players need physical resilience to help prevent injuries and emotional resilience to aid in recovery if an injury occurs.
Emotional resilience may be the most difficult of all! It requires an ability to adapt, bounce back, and thrive despite adversity or challenging emotions. Knowing what to expect from an injury can cultivate optimism and lead to a solution-oriented approach to recovery. Remember, emotional resilience isn’t about avoiding negative emotions. It’s about learning how to navigate emotions effectively.
In review, resilience isn’t just about physical recovery, but also about maintaining a positive mindset and focusing on the present to be the best you can be. SaddleBrooke and SaddleBrooke Ranch offer many available resources to be engaged in. We have great amenities, clubs, social events, etc., to participate in and enjoy.
If we stay engaged, we can exhibit greater resilience than the younger generation!