In the summer leading up to my senior year, there were days that consisted of volleyball, softball, and basketball all in one day. Volleyball practice/conditioning from 1-3, basketball open gym from 3:30-5, and softball practice from 6-8 (I never told my coaches this, but now that I’m gone and not required to run sprints for anything—there ya go.) Maybe I was crazy, but looking back on it I wouldn’t change anything. I miss the sprints, the wall-sits, the days when I was as sick as a dog but tried my best to hide it, the days outside practicing in snow, the days playing in the pouring rain, the early Saturday morning practices. I miss the bus rides with my teammates, the pre-game meals at Don Tequilas and Cookout, the buzzer-beaters, the homeruns, the kills to clinch the win in the 5th set, the tears, the laughter, the refs (yes, I even miss my favorite zebras), the fans, the school sprit. The jersey. Man, I miss the jersey.
That was my life. I was a student-athlete. Now, I’m adjusting to a new life as a college student. I spent each day in high school looking forward to the next game. If I had a big test on a Monday morning, I studied and then told myself it’d be a good day because there was a big game waiting for me on Monday night. Obviously, they always tell you to put academics first—which I did (trust me, my mother made sure of this). But my sports were a very close second. I knew that eventually I’d have to play my “last game” or in my case, three “last games.” The problem is, when you have such a passion for something, it’s so hard to just let it go. But as much as I miss wearing my Wildcat jersey(s), it taught me some of the greatest lessons and values that I hope will stay with me forever.
Respect. I must thank my parents here because they instilled respect in me at a very young age. But it’s something that too many young adults my age are losing. How are you supposed to do anything in life if you don’t show respect towards others? It drives me crazy to see young student-athletes disrespect their coaches or teammates because they’re not getting the playing time they feel they deserve. I have had just about every type of coach imaginable. In ten years of playing three sports, I was coached by 43 different people (assistants included). And you know what? I never had a truly bad coach. In fact, I feel that I was blessed with some of the best coaches ever. Sure, I liked some more than others, but I respected every single one of them. Most have been tremendous role models for me and have instilled many of the same values I’ve learned from my parents. You hear some kids say, “Oh, that coach is awful or that coach doesn't know what he/she is doing.” I like to give coaches the benefit of the doubt—I mean come on, they constantly have parents screaming at them and telling them how to coach! Even if I didn’t agree with my coach, I tried my best to show him or her respect. They deserve it because they are adults. I am just a young adult still trying to learn how life works.
“We before me.” You learn it in any team sport. A shot in basketball isn’t possible without a pass. A kill in volleyball isn’t possible without a set. A catcher can’t throw a runner out at second base without coverage by the shortstop. I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. This concept is vital to life in general. Nothing is accomplished without some kind of help from others. You can’t “do life” on your own. You need to be capable of working with others to be successful in life.
Humor? Shoot, I make fun of myself all of the time. During my freshman year, I was going up to hit a volleyball (in a game) and totally face-planted. (I blame it on the line, though.) While it was utterly embarrassing, there’s nothing I can do about it now other than laugh! Yes, there are times when you need to act mature, but there are also times when you shouldn't take yourself so seriously. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes over the years, but worrying about them now won’t fix anything. Just laugh it off!
Humility. I’ve met some pretty cool people throughout my life, and I’ve had some awesome experiences, but that doesn’t entitle me to anything. Anyone who watched me play—you know I was never a Division I bound athlete. (I mean seriously, if y’all can find any DI schools desperate for a 5’7” outside hitter or a forward who struggled to score 5 points per game or a catcher who has the speed of a geriatric slug stuck in snow, please let me know.) But I took pride in trying to do the “little things” right. I was rarely the leading scorer or the MVP, but I played every game with heart. And looking back on it, I’m ok with that! I’m just happy I was able to play the sports I loved.
Gratitude. I try my absolute best to be thankful for everything I have every single day. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to play sports throughout the first 18 years of my life. I’m thankful for my family and fiends, for every coach I’ve ever had, and every teammate I’ve ever had. Without you, I wouldn’t be me. Thanks to volleyball, I discovered the what a rush of adrenaline feels like. Man, I loved hitting. Getting kills was one of my favorite things ever. I also learned how to come back from an injury and succeed on the court after doing so. My senior year was special. The team was so close—we really were a family. Thank you, volleyball. Thanks to basketball, I learned to play with heart. My senior year of basketball was one of the most incredible seasons in my entire sports career. We had our ups and downs. But the ups most certainly triumphed. We broke the school wins record for girls’ basketball and drew a crowd that I will never forget. I somehow managed to hit a buzzer-beater layup to wrap up a district win. The other team got so distracted by my teammates who were all so talented, they managed to leave me wide open. Thank you, basketball. Thanks to softball, I have hundreds of memories that will forever be in my mind. Winning the Blue Ridge District title as a freshman was one of the most amazing feelings. I’ll never forget that last out—throwing my catcher’s mask behind me and running to the mound to celebrate with my teammates. I cried tears of happiness. It was exhilarating. We were escorted through downtown Lexington by firetrucks and police. But last year, on the last out of my very last game, I cried. That was it. My high school career for all of my sports was over. Softball was my first game, and then became my last. Thank you, softball. I am so thankful I was given the ability to play all three sports for so long. I am forever grateful for all of those memories!
I still come to games, and I really do love coming back to cheer my friends and former teammates on, but at the same time, I hate it. For some reason, the anthem is what gets me. I miss standing out there dressed in royal blue with my hand over my heart getting ready to play. But as much as I miss it, I owe everything to those memories. Now, I sit here as a student at JMU, and I couldn't be more excited to pursue a career sports medicine and help student-athletes just like me succeed in life. I can’t wait to see how my foundation in sports will allow me to live the life of my dreams.
