As a collegiate athlete, whether playing at the D1, D2 or D3 level, you face some hardships. Preseason, long practices, distant away games and sore muscles for the entire season are just some of the countless troubles we go through. And don’t even begin to try and pretend that hearing your coach say, “Get on the line!” doesn’t send terror throughout your body. But, even with all of the horrible things we endure, we play because we love what we do.
So, to all of my fellow scholar-athletes, here is a list of reasons to remind you why we started playing for our colleges in the first place.
1. Your team is your family.
Aside from your actual family, your teammates are the next best thing you have away at school. They’re there by your side every single day, whether it’s practices or games, and they know exactly what you’re going through because you’re in it together. I know some people say they go to college looking for a spouse, but college athletes know that through playing sports we’ve found our bridesmaids. (Or groomsmen. Whatever.)
2. No freshman 15 (sometimes).
While this isn’t necessarily true in all cases, playing a sport sure as hell keeps us in better shape than the rest of our classmates. As much as college athletes dread preseason and daily strenuous workouts, we secretly are thankful for them. We are forced to work out everyday and know how to treat our bodies right due to meeting with nutritionists and trainers. Even in the off-season, college athletes have practices and work out sessions to keep us healthy and in shape. We may gain a few extra pounds from obtaining more muscle, but athletes usually tend to stay on the healthier side!
3. You master time management.
Being a part of a collegiate team allows you to practice time management skills. Having to schedule classes and other extracurriculars around your practices and games can teach you to how to properly manage your time. Playing on a college team also teaches you the importance of being not on time, but early. Personally, my practices expect you to be there 15 minutes before they're actually scheduled. This rule has actually adapted itself into my everyday life and now I am always at least 10 minutes early to important things like classes and work. Being an athlete makes you appreciate how important punctuality is.
4. Mental toughness is required.
With great triumphs come great losses, and you need to be mentally strong to overcome all of the stress that weighs on you. A missed goal or throw could lead to your teams’ loss or setback, and you need to be prepared to handle the intense pressure of playing collegiate sports. While everyone understands that playing a team sport is a group effort, sometimes your mistakes can make you feel like you’re the reason something bad happened. Your team is your support group and will help get you through your own doubts and allow you to be the great player you know you are.
5. Success through teamwork.
My father often tells me that he can tell which of his coworkers played team sports, because they work so well with others. Being on a team, especially on a collegiate one, allows you to learn how to work with a group of people while benefitting from the interaction. Top schools like New York University and the University of Florida have also researched the impact that team sports has on a person and agree that it is very beneficial to your life later on. Team sports allow you to get along with others easily and learn how to compromise for the sake of the group.
6. The free clothes are key.
Okay, let’s get real. We love playing on a sports team because we get the best clothes. Free t-shirts, the best sweatpants and the comfiest sweatshirts. Being able to rep your school’s team while looking great is another perk of being a collegiate athlete.
7. Playing the game you love is what it's all about.
Truly, the greatest part about playing a sport in college is being able to do what you love. No athlete continues their athletic career in college unless they are really passionate about what they’re doing. To continue playing at this level is an amazing accomplishment and what better way to reward ourselves than doing what we love?
