In a brief discussion with my housemate over the previous night’s conquest (snogged on the d-floor), and post FB-analysis sesh, we came to the worrying conclusion that there is just something about boys in ‘Ones’. Despite the sea of sweat, the smell of snakebite and the fumbled/misguided attempts to dance whilst crushed among others, equally misguided, in the crowds of the top-top of timepiece; I have to admit that I am also besotted by the swagger of these chino’d men.
A recent study has shown that the qualities women found most attractive in men were (in no particular order): confidence, posture, ‘being a manly man’, independence, bravery and composure, leadership, dominance, physical fitness, presence, a good dress sense, wit, discipline, drive and intelligence. Now, although this seems a very demanding checklist by which to judge the meaner-sex, if we take each of these characteristics and compare it to the average sportsman we know at uni, then it’s true that (give or take a little), most of them should roughly fit this mould. (Perhaps when choosing your example, however, its best to avoid social members and/or random guys you once slept with from behind lash-tinted spectacles.)
It is whilst playing the game, not whilst celebrating it that these qualities can shine through, and it seems that the knowledge that they were there earlier makes their obliteration by alcohol later seemingly forgivable…
- It takes composure to take a penalty (or save it), or make the conversion, and especially at the start of a race. A high level of sport shows a high level of mental control and focus. Any good sportsman makes intelligent decisions within the team, and has the drive to push for the win.
- An evening dress-code of shirt and chino’s takes care of any fashion misdemeanours likely to occur during the day.
- Physical fitness and presence comes without saying (peer into the weights room if you need persuading…)
With all of this comes confidence. If you want to win you have to “back yourself” – and this self-belief is not just limited to playing the sports field…
Perhaps it’s the focus during a game which attracts us – the look of someone who’s completely absorbed in something else. Almost as if, for once, we get a glimpse into a real person devoid of the pretention and bravado which abounds on a Wednesday night – after all, ‘honesty’ also scored highly in the research survey. Moreover, the dedication and discipline required to play high level sport suggests that neither determination nor focus are in short supply.
Perhaps, however, it’s the ‘posture’, biceps and abs we like to assume present in our high-performance athletes which prove to be the deal-makers (although, as many will have experienced, beige trousers and blue shirt does NOT guarantee these underneath)… An anonymous friend was once quoted as saying: “I accompany my greeting with a cheeky arm-squeeze on nights out, to feel for muscles – nothing worse than a skinny boy.”
I couldn’t even fathom to count the number of times that I’ve thought someone fit from afar, usually due to a combination of chino’s and club tie on their part and vodka on mine, only to find the up-close and personal object of my desires to be more paper-bag than prince charming.
In a brief, biased, and completely unscientific survey of friends I asked “Why are we attracted to boys who play sport?” Their answers varied from “because they’ve got great bods” to “because they’re fit,” but a good deal of arrogance played a part too. The general levels of inebriation may account for our irresistible attraction to a boy in a blazer: undeniable correlations between the most sexually active universities and the biggest drinking universities should come as no surprise. To this comment a friend replied: “but I fancy boys in One’s during the day too. Actually, not if they’re too close…”
So it seems that what drives the mating rituals of Exeter University sports clubs are alcohol, pheromones and TP burgers. Although the admirable qualities highlighted above shine when on the pitch, field or court, their distinct absence on a Wednesday night renders the high pull-rate still mysterious.