Ever since I was a little girl, I was always on a team, until I came to college. You'd think that after a lifetime of constant practices, meets, and games that I would've been sick of sports by the time college came around. However, I still miss it so much. I miss goofing around at practices with my favorite people while doing the extremely intense workouts our coaches would give us. I miss riding the bus to every meet while blasting music the entire way there and back. Most importantly, I miss competing with all of my friends and cheering each other on for hours upon hours. There are so many things that I miss about being part of a team and I'm sure you do too. I have listed the top four things that I miss about no longer being part of a team.
1. The unbreakable bond that you have with your teammates
You would think that spending hours upon hours with each other at practices, competing, and team bonding experiences that you would be sick of each other, but you actually learn to love your teammates even more. You spend so much time together that they become your best friends and then you find yourselves hanging out with each other even during the little free time that you have.
2. The trust that you have placed in your coach's hands
You spent years trusting your coaches to make you the best at what you do. Spending hours at practices, working extremely hard to accomplish simple goals and them putting all of their faith in you as you compete in your weekly meets truly builds a social trust between you and your coach.
3. Going to practice every day to practice your heart out
Some days you dreaded it and some days you loved it, but no matter the day you always gave it your all at practice. You'll even miss the hard workouts that always kicked your butt because you loved how it felt to be super sore the next day and to know that you were actually getting better. Plus, you were probably always really fit and in shape so that's always good.
4. Competing at meets with your teammates
Getting out of class early a couple of times a week to lay on the bus seat and blast music with your teammates until you finally get to the school and then doing the exact same thing on the way back. Pretending your teammates hear you cheering them on while they kill it and pretending you hear them cheering you on even though you all are way too focused to hear that, but you still always appreciate it. Not to mention for some athletes, the awful tan lines that you low-key love, but could never get rid of your entire life.
Being part of a team is one of the best experiences I've ever had and I will forever miss it.
Sheetal Tadiparty
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