Retired Athlete:
The thrill of the game. The excitement you feel when you make that last second goal, shot or field goal. No matter what sport it is, you love it. That's why you played it all through high school. That's why you trained extra hard to play the sport you love. Let's be honest, every high school athlete's dream is to get a full ride to their favorite college. Then when college is over, go on to the big times. Their sport is their life.
The sad reality of graduating and going into college is that so many athletes have that dream crushed. They don't get the full ride they wanted. They don't get to go to the college of their dreams to play the sport they love. The most common thing to happen is for them to stop playing. After high school their athletic career is over. Sure the athlete will probably still play pickup games in college, but they will never feel that pressure of competition again. The preparation the week before the big game. The anxiety all day during game day. The superstitious good luck rituals that must happen in order to win the game. Nothing beats the feeling of putting on that jersey, taking the field, and playing your heart out under the big lights. Now that feeling is fleeting. You had to say goodbye to that field senior night. That was probably the saddest moment in your high school athletic career. The goodbyes shared by your fellow seniors, the feeling that this was your last chance to give it your all.
I know this feeling. I never wanted to say goodbye. I played soccer for 18 years straight. That's 18 years of my life I went to school and then I went straight to soccer practice daily. I was hoping to get a scholarship to continue my career at a university. However, that was a dream that was crushed. Sure I had a few offers to lower division colleges, but they were also colleges that didn't have my major. So reluctantly I declined my offers and headed to a university where I strictly focused on my career goals.
Not a day goes by that I don't think about my days on the field. I miss being under the lights, I miss being in my uniform. I miss working with the group of girls who pushed me to be a better player. I miss working together to achieve a goal and win a game. I miss all the friends I made. But most of all, I miss the feeling of doing something I loved. Soccer wasn't just a hobby for me. Soccer was a way of life. Soccer taught me a lot about myself that I would have never known. Like the fact that I would push through any injury just to not let my team down. Soccer taught me what real pain was. Soccer taught me how to be a humble winner and how to not be a sore loser. It taught me to hold my head up. It taught me how to better myself and that the only way I was going to get better was to push myself. Soccer taught me discipline and self-respect. It also taught me how to work with others even if I didn't like them. It taught me how to be a team player. Soccer taught me so many lessons in life that letting it go was one of the hardest things I had to do. Sure, now I still play pickup games with some friends. I kick the ball around on my own. I watch all the professional games and even take the time to watch my college's team. I take the time to watch my sister live her dream at Wittenberg University. These things still bring me insane amounts of joy. I think it was necessary for me to become a retired athlete though. If I hadn't, my grades wouldn't be as great as they are now, I wouldn't have the friends that I do and I wouldn't have learned to value the sport as much as I do. Although I no longer play the sport, I will never forget the lessons it taught me and how it shaped me into the person I am today.
A few final words. To those of you who have the opportunity to compete in college, don't take it for granted. You don't know how unbelievably lucky you are. To those of you in my situation, reflect and cherish. Reflect on the person that your sport has made you into. Cherish the memories and friendships you have from the sport. Don't ever let your sport go, though. Hold onto it for the rest of your life. You will regret it if you don't.
