Dear Volleyball,

Thank you for being a sport I was capable of learning and being talented at. Thank you for giving me a sense of self and belonging. Thank you for the countless, floor burns and bruises. Thank you for the miles spent on the road, the early mornings, and the long weekend tournaments. Thank you for introducing me to my best friends. Thank you for teaching me how to have character and be humble. Thank you for being in my life and there for me as I matured into the young woman I am today.

Thank you for all the blood, sweat and tears. Thank you for the pre-game meals, and food tables. Thank you for the many suicides I ran and conditioning I endured. Thank you for allowing me to compete and to learn to push myself to be the best person and player I can be. Thank you for the games lost that taught me to work harder the next practice. Thank you for the undefeated seasons, and the championships. Thank you for the camps and the skills I developed over countless hours of practice. Thank you for the feeling of winning a hard-fought game.

Thank you for the feeling of running out in a sleek uniform and the feeling of adrenaline pumping through my veins. Thank you for the coaches who have taught me more than just the sport. Thank you for pushing me to work with my heart when my body was tired. Thank you for the bond I have with every teammate I've played with. Thank you for the relationships that will last forever. Thank you for allowing me to teach girls younger than me what I love to do.

Thank you for the bus rides and the bus drivers and teammates who had to deal with my terrible singing. Thank you for all the inside jokes. Thank you for the tears shed and laughs shared. Thank you for allowing my parents to watch me do what I love. Thank you for the nerves and for the tryouts. Thank you for the locker room talks and pre game huddles. Thank you for giving me so much to pray for and thank God for everyday.

Thank you for keeping me in shape and turning me into an athlete. Thank you for the thrill of the game. Thank you for being such a big part of my life for 8 years. Thank you for shaping me into who I am today. Thank you for everything. I'll miss you.

Love,

a girl who will forever love the game