Growing up as an athlete, there are countless people I’m thankful for, but without my former teammates I wouldn’t be the player I am today.

Thank you for always believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.

It was always nice knowing I had a constant support system that would be there every step of the way to cheer me on. There were times when I was down and ready to give up, but you were there to pick me back up.

Thank you for pushing me to work harder.

You were the first to make sure I wasn’t slacking off for the sake of myself and the team. When there was 10 yards left in a sprint you were there screaming to run faster. When I scored a goal, you expected me to do better and score another. When I gave you a bad pass, you yelling at me was out of love and support. You were always there to motivate me and remind me to push my limits.

Thank you for the memories I’ll never forget.

Being apart of a team is great, but being apart of one that acts as a family is even better. Winning games and championships are memories I’ll always remember, but it’s the little things I’ll cherish forever. Singing at the top of our lungs in the locker room or on the bus. The team sleepovers that turned into sleepless nights.The pasta parties and team dinners where we stuffed our faces with food always telling ourselves “We will burn off the calories at practice”.

Thank you for the lessons learned.

There was more than just learning to play the game. With you I learned to deal with losses and how to use them to motivate me. I learned to compete, until I had nothing left in me. I learned to trust you and those around me. When someone made a mistake and the game didn’t end the way we hoped, I learned to forgive.