Ever since I can remember, I was active. I grew up playing every sport imaginable and was definitely the tomboy of my family. I come from a very small town so I was with the same people through each phase of my life. One sport that I fell in love with and that stuck with me was field hockey. Playing was the best decision I ever made because my naïve 12-year-old self would become a greater version of myself through the sport.

Now that I am in college and field hockey is no longer my main focus, or something I can do everyday to relieve the stress, I often catch myself thinking back to the times throughout high school where I was with my field hockey team. A team, according to Merriam Webster, is “a group of people who compete in a sport, game, etc., against another group.” The team for me was so much more than that. Any 11 people can go out on a field and play a game, but it takes a team who works together, supports each other and most importantly, loves one another to succeed.

Throughout my time in high school I had three coaches. We had many struggles since our program was new, but what made it all worth it was the team. I knew no matter what kind of day I was having or how tough practice was I would always be reassured by my teammates that everything was going to be okay.

My junior year I got a concussion that kept me out basically my entire season, and I had many dark days throughout that season, yet my team made sure to make me feel like I was still apart of everything they did. Being on a team is such a special thing because you form unique bonds with people you may not have been friends with outside of sports. You expect the best out of each person on the team during practice, conditioning, and the dreaded beep test.

I learned so many valuable skills while being on my team. I learned how to be a leader and how to inspire other teammates to work their hardest and try to be the best athlete they can be. I learned how to love the competition and even when we didn’t come out on top, I learned to let it go because losing one game does not mean the world is ending. I learned that teammates are more than girls I see everyday for three months in the fall but some of them are my sisters who have gone through everything with me.

Being on a team taught me how to work together for a common goal and how to support one another in and out of practice.

Being able to grow alongside some of my best friends throughout my high school career and bond over our love for the sport was such a special experience. Coming from a person who is no longer on a team, I want to make sure you cherish your years playing whatever the sport you love is. Remember that you are supported and loved by your team not only on the field but off as well. I know I would not have made it through my injuries in high school without my team.

If someone were to ask me what I define team as, it would be "a group of people that come together for a single goal, that grow, love and hold the rope to make sure each member feels like family."