Honestly not sure why I’m posting sorry, I think I just wanted to get a fresh opinion or reassurance on this if that’s ok!
this will sound really daft, but has anyone ever gone back as an adult to a sport or hobby they did when they were younger? I understand I won’t be as good as I was back then, but does anyone have any tips or advice on getting back and not being put off by other people?
basically I played chess competitively as a child. I’m honestly NOT meaning this in a bragging way, but I was actually quite good at it and played at a regional and national level for my age. I was selected as being an up and coming player who could represent the country internationally in the future and I was lucky enough to win some big games on a national level
but playing chess as a young girl was really, really tough. First there was the fact it’s a male dominated game and I sometimes felt a bit of a outcast- there were other girls at competitions but it was predominantly boys and it always felt like a lot of pressure, as if I had to justify I was a good player even though I was a girl. Comments that I had a great grading ‘for a girl’ always stung in particular. Or the surprise that you beat the boys because ‘you’re a girl’. Then there was the social stigma that was associated with being a chess player at school - I was actually really embarrassed of my friends finding out. I completely hid it from them until I was in the newspaper for it and then they found out. Playing chess was quite literally seen as social suicide back then (honestly not even sure why!) and as a young kid that mattered to me and sort of made me resent chess. In the end I quit by the time I made it to secondary school and it was a bit disappointing for everyone as I was starting the pathway to playing internationally.
my parents were very supportive and took me to chess training multiple times a week and competitions up and down the country. They were deep down a bit gutted when I quit although they respected my choice.
but I want to get back into it now as an adult. But I’m just a bit nervous about going back to a game I’ve not played properly in a long time. Obviously I understand I’ll get beaten and I don’t expect to be good haha, but it’s just quite nerve wracking going back. And I know it sounds completely ridiculous to be worrying about this as an adult, but I’m sort of worried that people will judge me if they find out I play. I know kids can be cruel and that for an adult there’s no shame around playing chess, but I guess it’s still weighing on my mind from when I was younger. But equally I enjoyed the game and I’d like to get back to playing just for fun, and maybe even compete again the future.
i should just stop worrying about nothing and go back again shouldn’t I? There’s some local clubs where I live now so they’d be a good place to start, and I really want to, but the nerves are just holding me back ahh x