When people ask me if I'm an athlete, my natural response is, "Yes." And then something hits me. Then comes the hard part. "Well, I used to be."

From the time I could walk, I was throwing balls and swinging bats. I started playing sports before I even started kindergarten. Sports were literally my life. Until I got to college, I didn't know what it was like to just go home after school and do nothing. There was no such thing as free time. This is because ever since I can remember, I had a game, practice, or workouts after school was over.

Wait, did someone say workout? Now that I no longer play sports, it's so much harder to stay in shape. There are no practices or games to keep your body in top notch condition. There is no one there to make sure you're hitting the gym. Suddenly, all those brownies and cookies you eat go straight to your hips instead of being burnt off the next day. It's a serious struggle.

For so long, the term "athlete" was a substantial part of my identity. It defined who I was and what I did. Not a day goes by that I don't wish to have that part of me back. Even though I've grown up and moved on, there are still things that get me.

When spring time rolls around and I can smell that fresh cut grass, it touches a part of my soul. Every time I see a basketball court, I can almost feel the burn of diving on the court for a loose ball. There is still no sweeter sound than that of metal cleats hitting the sidewalk or the crack of the bat when the ball hits the sweet spot. When I look down and see the scars on my knees, I think about all those times I was cleated. When I see the scars on my elbows, I think about all those slides into home that left me with bloody strawberries. These things only made me tougher.

Growing up as an athlete, I learned so many lessons. I learned how to work hard for what I want and how to push myself every day to improve. It taught me the value of teamwork, accountability, and determination. It instilled in me the value of respect. Playing sports made me appreciate my parents and everything they did for me. To this day, they're my biggest cheerleaders. All of these lessons have stuck with me and can be applied in my adult life.

Even though I no longer play sports and I'm all grown up, many days I long to be that girl with the pony tail again. Any former athlete who says they don't miss the game is either lying, or never loved it to begin with. No matter how old I get, there will always be a piece of me that is still an athlete. Once an athlete, always an athlete.