For many, high school is the last place where they will play a sport at a competitive level alongside their peers. Many may refer to this as their "glory days," as they don't intend to play in college and look for other ways to spend their time. Since I'm attending a school where there are no sports teams on campus, I've started to realize how special playing in high school was and how much I missed it. Here are a few of those things:
1. Teammates
During my four years playing hockey we always had a close team that was focused on improving after each practice and game. We spent the preseason having dryland conditioning and in the off-season playing spring hockey. We played together as much as possible in preparation for the upcoming season in hopes of a state championship, and we pushed each other to be the best players we could be. By doing so, our chemistry improved because we played with eachother so much that we knew each person's style of play and how they would act in a certain situation.
On and off the the ice we acted liked brothers and always had a team-first mentality. In the locker room we would point out where someone had made a mistake, and once they improved we would tell them they had a good shift. This was the best way to improve our play, as we were able to see where we were getting beat and figure out how to fix it with the tendencies we knew our teammates had. We knew how to regroup after a tough loss or celebrate a big win to make sure that we would be prepared for the next game. We looked out for each other and made sure that everyone did their job so we could get the win the next game or keep the momentum going.
2. Competition
High school sports provided me with an outlet for competition. I enjoyed representing my school on the ice, and I looked forward to facing other teams, whether it be a playoff or scrimmage. Hockey wasn’t a popular sport at our school, but the competition was what drew me to play. I wanted to improve each practice so I would be better for the next game. Our goal was to win states, and although we never accomplished that, I felt that I gave it my all and the teams we played brought out the best hockey player in me.
3. Game Day
During the week, I always looked forward to game day. I was able to put whatever distractions I had going on aside and focus on who we were playing. I grew accustomed to our team's traditions, such as dressing up in a shirt and tie at school and running sets of stairs before the game to unwind. This helped us get in rhythm and be prepared for our game. After the game, it was good to reflect on how we played and what we needed to improve on in the next practice so we could strengthen any weak areas. No matter how well I played, I knew that I had 20 other teammates working alongside me to improve on our weak areas.
