Dear Future College Athlete,
Congratulations on taking your athletic abilities to the next level! It is truly an accomplishment to have achieved such a goal. College is amazing, and you will learn so much about yourself, but there are things that no one prepares you for before you sign on to the team. Being an athlete is superb, even in college, but here are three things they do not tell you about before coming to practice.
1. Your sport becomes your life:
In high school, you can play three sports, but in college you usually only have time for one. You have to balance between practice, preseason play, weight-lifting and regular season play, not to mention there are classes thrown in the mix. Honestly, there is no time for other sports. You might get into an intramural sport every now and then, but if you can juggle two conference sports, all the more power to you. I just want to prepare you to spend the majority of your time on your sport and with your teammates.
2. Your teammates can become your closest friends:
You are generally always together. You practice, play and workout with each other, so you might as well get used to eating, living and traveling with the same people. Your teammates will know more about you than you expect, especially if you have a smaller team. Most of your texts will be between you and your team. Your team will always have your back. They support you on the field, and they will support you off the field. Your team becomes like a family, and you will find that you will protect your family just as much as they protect you.
3. You will become friends with other athletes quickly:
Usually, you have to go to meetings, dinners, gatherings, community service events and much more with the other teams on campus. Teams support other teams because athletes understand the hard work you put into the sport. If you go to a small school, like UVa-Wise, you will have classes with athletes all the time. You find common things to talk or complain about to each other.
Being an athlete is a great privilege to have, especially in college. You had enough talent to play on after high school. You will wear your team proudly on your shirts, and you will feel amazing being part of a new team. Enjoy this fantastic opportunity, but do not take this chance for granted because once your sport is gone, you will miss it more than you think. Have fun, and make it yours!
