My First MyRounders Game

Every time I tell someone that I play rounders, I always get the same response, “I loved rounders at school!” This was exactly what I said to my friend, Jess, when she asked if I would like to join her team.

I have always loved sport and keeping fit, being a keen hockey and rugby player during my school days. Over the years I kept up my fitness through running, Pilates and even dabbled in sprint triathlons, thanks to my sister! But team sports have always been where my heart lies, so when I was offered the chance to join a newly formed rounders team, I jumped at it.

Jess, had set the team up with her family and her mum Lynne came up with the name, ‘Love is All Around Us.’  My first game was on July 3^rd 2023, with the team making their debut the week before.

As I pulled into the Elba, in Gowerton on an overcast Monday evening, I was amazed by the amount of people gearing up to play rounders. I could feel the buzz of energy and excitement around and my heart felt like it had found its home at the thought of being part of a team again.

I was nervous as I made my way to the field to see the teams warming up. I only knew Jess on the team at that point so it I felt a bit like a new girl on my first day of school, searching for a face that I recognised. I was soon welcomed by the lovely Dawn, who I recognised from the WhatsApp group I had been added to. I was quickly introduced to the rest of the team and began throwing the ball to warm up. My catching skills were a bit rusty, but there was no pressure from the team at all, it was clear we were all there for the same thing, fun!

As we made our way to the pitches, the girls went over some of the rules with me. Jess informed the umpire that it was my first game, and as we were still a very newly formed team, they gave us lots of support and advice.

The fielding went in a bit of a blur, and I remember being really impressed with how well some of the opposition could hit the ball.

I was pleased that my hand eye coordination had stayed with me, and I could still hit the ball, and I even scored a rounder.

The opposition, a more experienced team, soon racked up the points, but it didn’t matter to us at all. They encouraged us as the game went along and a long-forgotten part of my brain soon woke up, getting back into tactics of the game and cheering for my fellow teammates.

The score at the end didn’t matter, I left the game on such a high and couldn’t wait for the next one.

We'd like to thank Rhian Howells for sharing her first experience of attending our leagues as an individual, so wonderful and common to hear stories like Rhian's. We hope you carry on enjoying the Gowerton Rounders League.