Athletes do so much for the sport they love. They work hard after school, they go to extra lessons, and they make sure they get enough rest for the next day. Many days for a high school athlete, their schedule goes something like waking up, going to school, going to practice, eating a snack, going to a lesson of some sort, then getting home late and going to sleep. Only to wake up the next day and do the same thing again. According to a teammate of mine, she stated that she does about 85% of some type of softball a week with about 15% of the time relaxing or hanging out with friends. Some athletes wonder what it would be like if they did not play the sport, they would have so much more time on their hands to do other activities and maybe go to the events their friends invite them to. They also think about how boring it would be, tho. What would they do in the times when their friends are busy? What would they do if they had no event to go to? When they are just in their room sitting on their bed on their phone? Sports give you something to do than just being trapped inside of your room all day; giving them a reason to go outside and be active.
Sports also can change a person so much like their personalities. They could be the quietest person at school, not talking to anyone or not being very talkative. Once they step onto the field, they become one of the loudest, funniest, and kindest kids out there. Sports give a sort of warmth or safe feeling to a person. Their teammates give them a feeling of safety to be themselves. Now I know this sounds kind of bad, sounding like athletes don’t have fun doing what they do. But it is the complete opposite. Some student-athletes love what they do. If they love their sport it sorta becomes a life for them or a home for them. A coach on a travel team said “Once you start to play with a group they sorta become like a family to you. Each one of these girls is like my own kid at this point. I care so deeply about each one of them and can’t wait to see where they go.” That is how much a sport can change someone’s life. Sports create a sense of love and family that one feels like their teammates are their siblings.
When someone plays a sport they love, they start to develop dreams like a school they want to go to or a team they want to join. A student at Esperanza High stated, “Ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to go to my dream school Oregon University. I went on a trip there to go to a camp and I just knew that is where I wanted to go.” This gives student-athletes a goal they set for themselves to keep themselves going. They work as hard as they can to get there one day and maybe play at that level.
The life of an athlete is just incredible once you join it. It just brings a hobby into your life and brings happiness to you. You create bonds with people you play with and sorta become a family. Everyone should have the chance to play a sport once in their life. Maybe they can find something new or something that can bring them out of the shadows; shinning a new light on a new path that leads to a dream they never thought could happen for them.