From day one of being an athlete, my dream was to gain the skills required to compete at the division one level. And I wasn't alone. Kids are dreamers. Some dream to be princesses and others dream to be on the court alongside Lebron. As we grow, we learn that the odds of becoming a princess or a professional athlete are very slim. But for athletes, there are still dreams of making the cut for the varsity team and for others, the college team. If you're a fortunate athlete, your parents put thousands of dollars into your career and even more importantly, every ounce of energy they had (Thank you, Mom and Dad). Their time for playing sports is over, so now it's their turn to help their kids excel in whatever they choose. After the countless hours that your parents put into driving you to practices and games, it often feels like you might be letting them down by "settling" for division two or three. But playing at the collegiate level is an amazing accomplishment alone. So here is a piece of advice to all of the college-bound athletes out there:

Be selfish. Ask yourself, "What do I want?"

Your parents aren't going to be waking up at 6 a.m. for training sessions. They won't be running sprints until they puke. They won't be crammed on a bus, coming home from an away trip and trying to finish a paper that's due at midnight. But, they will be on the sidelines no matter what. D1, D2 or D3, they are still going to be your number one fans, cheering louder than anyone else in the crowd for you. I am not saying to totally disregard any input that your parents have because, often times, they do know what is best for you. They see a limitless potential in you and believe that you can basically do anything. It can be annoying, but no one else in your life is going to be so enthusiastic about you. Learn to appreciate it. In the end, if you are happy, they will be happy for you, and if you find a coach you love, at a school you love, you will never stop loving your sport.