Years ago, I traded the board games Monopoly and Battleships to my older brother for games of cricket.

They are yet to be returned.

Both games were gifted by Santa Claus, bright and shiny and full of promise with crisp cash notes distributed and naval destroyers placed in waters that would, hopefully, be undetectable to radar, sonar, and the latest ‘guessing’ technology. So desperate to play sport I would offer items including cash advancements to encourage my sibling to join in competition. He was as keen on sport as me but my drive to keep playing even when exhausted, or when light should have been offered, ensured late evening battles ended with mum, standing on the inspection cover at the back fence calling us home, drawing play to a close with stumps finally called.

This was a different time when ‘let it rip’ had a different connotation. It was also a time when, although bad things happened, the neighbourhood was considered safe and parents were far less likely to be concerned about interactions that may now be considered worrisome or placing us in danger.

And while careful not to fall into the trap of life being better “when I was a boy”, it was the lack of handheld technology and choice that drove our enthusiasm and increased our passion. My brother towelled me up during board games, but I persisted, experiencing inevitable defeat at the hands of a wily real estate mogul and commander of Her Majesty’s Fleet. The games were competitive yet annihilation often followed my efforts at play, outstrategised and intimated by a more traditionally academic brain.

Persistence is important.

In any board game, work task, leadership challenge, sporting endeavour, or artistic pursuit, the ability to continue when obstacles are placed in the way sets people apart. Often, sport is as much a mental challenge as it is a technical one. There is no doubt that ability and skill are important but the desire to train hard along with the drive to improve requires a mental toughness that prevents you from giving up – not many of us mere mortals possess these qualities, however, we can find pursuits where we thrive if we continue to persist.

As a youngster my thirst for a game went further than persistence. I was a pest and keen to pester those close to me to make sure that competition was in the offing. Pestering would begin with a simple question. If the answer was in the affirmative then it was off we go, heading to the backyard for soccer or football or cricket or badminton or totem and paddle tennis or hockey or to the nets for more cricket or to the school for basketball or the tennis courts. However, if I was forced to wait there would be a variety of strategies employed to encourage participation. From jibing and sledging to visibly and tactically sulking I would pester until an argument ensued and mum had to intervene or compliance was achieved. There was a method to my madness with my brother sometimes giving in just to shut me up. And if that did not work I would trade possessions followed by offering cold hard and small amounts of cash, should I have any left. Furthermore, and if all else failed, I would promise to dry the dishes for a week.

And now I find myself on the other side of the coin. My right elbow is currently sore, I am forever stiff and muscle tired, and I must hide to find peace when the workday concludes, sometimes well before, or during the weekends – but I would not have it any other way.

From having a kick, daily throwdowns in the nets, and even more cricket in the backyard to riding treacherous downhill mountain bike trails, being a student for our teacher obsessed teenager, and participating in TikTok videos, I am a martyr. Thankfully, I now have a wanger ball thrower…a ridiculously named sidearm device that, much like a plastic tennis ball launcher for dogs, allows you to generate pace and continue throwdowns of a cricket ball at the local nets long after the rest of my body has packed it in and given up.

The other difference - our West Highland Terrier, George Winston Wightman, does not retrieve nor enjoy going for a walk, in fact he hides under the bed, yet we have a young fellow who never tires of a net session. In fact, it is fair to say that he has developed a few of my pestering techniques with the shoe now squarely on the other foot. Alas, this may be my opportunity to benefit from a few board game trades. As a parent I am extremely fortunate. I can provide for my children and make available an abundance of opportunities. There are times that I complain about the nagging and pestering and endless games and activities that require my commitment, but there is a thankfulness associated with keeping active, pitting declining skills against youngsters on the improve, and enjoying the company of teenagers determined to be adults long before their time.