I played travel softball for 15 years and through those years I had other sports such as volleyball and basketball right along side of it. Eventually though, I had to pick one and focus on my dreams of becoming a college athlete. I dropped all other sports so I could focus on softball, the sport that had been around the longest, consumed the most amount of time, and the sport I thought I had the best shot with.

I put in long hours of practice, gave up all my summers for constant days spent on the diamond (what even is summer?), threw over a million pitches, and hit over a million balls, whether that be off a tee, machine, soft toss, etc. I put in countless hours to become the best player, pitcher, teammate, that I could be. Sure, I complained about the practices, I complained about my coaches pushing me too hard (sorry Dad), I complained about just about everything, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. And you better not either.

To the athletes who are still able to play their sport,

Don’t ever, and I mean EVER take that ability for granted. Don’t take practices for granted. Don’t take time spent with your teammates for granted. Don’t take weekend trips to tournaments for granted. Don’t take being able to step on the field, track, court, and do what you love for granted. Don’t do it, because you could be like me and have that taken away from you in a split second.

You think you’re invincible, you think “oh I’ll never get hurt to the point where I have to stop.” But that’s what I thought too, until it happened. I had softball ripped out of my hands as a 17 –year- old. My dreams were completely crushed and I actually thought my life was over. When I was 15 I hurt my back and my doctor told me to stop playing, but I was invincible so of course I didn’t listen. It was my first season of high school ball, why would I want to stop now? I have the rest of high school and college ball ahead of me! Or so I thought. I kept playing and two years down the road my injury stopped me from being able to play effectively like I was used to. I couldn’t carry on and that’s something that pains me everyday.

So from the girl who got the game taken away from her too early, please don’t ever take it for granted. I would give all of my limbs to be able to step on the field one more time. I would give my life to able to step into the perfectly white chalked circle, step on the mound, and do what I love the most. I would give anything to step up to the plate and crank one into the parking lot again. But I can’t, so I want you to do it for me. All of you healthy athletes out there; play for the ones who can’t anymore. Give your all for the one’s who would give their lives to be in your shoes. But most importantly, stop complaining. Stop complaining about the practices, the drives, the hard work and effort you have to put in to be at the top, stop complaining about it all. It sucks, believe me I know. However, what’s worse than being at practice, or working so hard you can’t move is sitting on the sidelines watching your old teammates playing without you. Watching them do the handshakes you were so accustomed to and the cheers that seemed to never stop, watching them do everything you can’t. Watching from the sidelines is A LOT harder than you might think.

Once again, every time you step on the field, court, etc. step on it for the people who can’t anymore and with no complains because there are some of us out here who wish with all of our hearts that we could have one more chance to be out there.

From,

An athlete who got hurt too early