If you are a high school senior athlete like myself, you’re already stressed out about the next chapter of life after high school is over. It’s already chaos, and you have no idea what colleges you want to go to or even apply to at this point. Before you go into full panic mode, be proud of yourself and give some credit to yourself. For the last four years, you’ve somehow maintained being an athlete but also, a student (which as any teacher would say, is our primary job.)

Be proud of the athlete you’ve become over the past few years. Be proud for pushing yourself the extra mile in practices and games because you didn’t make varsity like all your friends did your freshman year. This is the year that your hard work finally pays off. Go out on the field, court, ice and or turf and make every game your game. Wear your school colors for the last few times and be grateful for the teammates you’ve had by your side since that first double session freshman year.

Don’t hold grudges and be grateful for the opportunity you’ve been given. Looking back at myself now, I hate the fact I held grudges with certain people on my team. Leave all of that drama alone, it isn’t worth it in the long run. Don’t take it out on each other, it breaks the bond you're supposed to have as a team.

Step up and be a leader whether you have a captain position or not. There are freshmen who are scared to death just like you were. Let them follow you around – they want to get better. They’ll forever look up to you because you were that one senior that meant the most.

Respect your coaches. Every single one of them. Regardless of your playing time, you’ve gotten over the past few years. They’ve only wanted to shape you into a better person and a player. Listen to understand from them. We all had the games where everything they said seemed wrong to us in our own minds but, we feared to say anything.

Capture every moment. From the adrenaline rush you get before you step out into your game to the screaming fans hoping you can do something great. Capture all of it. Do something big, leave every game feeling like you went 110%. Leave everything out there and never regret a thing.

Sooner or later, this will all be over. It will be the end of your favorite sports season and you’ll have to turn into that jersey with “your” number on it. The jersey you’ve worn for the past 4 years through the wins and the loses. That number on your back that pushed you to score that goal or make that save. This is the last year, so make it the best one.