Saying goodbye to anything or anyone that has been apart of your life for a long time is always difficult. It is always scary to think about what you're life would be like without it. One thing that almost everyone has experienced saying goodbye to is the sport they love. Whatever sport it is, you've probably been participating in it multiple times a week for years. It is a part of who you are, and everyone knows that about you. Once you get to that point where it's time to give it up, it feels like the end of the world. It's not.
In my Freshman year of high school, I had
a huge decision to make. I had been playing soccer competitively almost my
entire life, but my love for it was gone. All of my friends had moved on, either
joining a different team, or quitting altogether, and it wasn’t the same
anymore. I had thought about quitting for months, but I was terrified to go through with it. I had dedicated my life to this sport. Finally, through a lot of tears, I told my parents that I was done. I'm pretty sure it really shocked them. I hadn't shown any signs of how I was feeling, so I knew they had no idea. Even though they were shocked and kept asking me if I was sure, they supported me. It made the pain of losing this sport a lot easier to deal with.
While I thought that this was the end of my soccer life, I was wrong. Even though I quit playing club, I ended up playing for my high school for the next four years. I both loved and hated it, but that was what soccer had always been for me. I made new friends as well as new enemies, and both won and lost some important games. Soccer involved some of the best and worst times of my life, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Even when you think you're saying goodbye, the sport you love will always come back and surprise you. You'll remember the happiness and the memories of it and you will naturally be forced back into it. Embrace it. It will always be there for you when you need it. So, when it starts to call you back in, listen. You will never regret taking a chance to relive what was some of the best times of your life.
Finally, be thankful for that sport with all of your heart. It changed who you are as a person, and helped you develop into who you are today. Remember that, and you will always remember the good times over the bad. The sadness you feel about it being gone will be overcome by those memories, and you'll be wanting to play again. I will always love soccer, and I will always miss it, but I know it will always be a part of my life. Keep that in mind, and it will get easier.
