The transition from high school to college can be tough. You have to move away from home, make new friends, and begin your study for your future career all at once. I wanted to get myself involved in different activities and make my mark at the school. One day, at an organization fair, a girl approached me and asked if I wanted to join the women’s club rugby team. I never played before and didn’t even know what the sport was, so I was a little hesitant at first. However, I went anyway.

Since then, there isn’t anything I’d rather do more. Rugby has given me some of the best teammates who I wouldn’t trade for the world and has given me some of the greatest life lessons someone could ever need.

1. Always pick yourself back up when you fall.

I know this sounds cliché, but you seriously have to. It may seem hard after a brutal tackle, but whining gets you nowhere in life and nowhere in rugby. You just have to get up and keep going. There are going to be times where you feel like you just cannot get up after a brutal tackle, but you just have to pick yourself up and keep going (unless you seriously cannot move). You just have to push yourself and recover from any falls.

2. Respect is key.

For some odd reason, not many people know what respect is anymore. People need to respect others in authority and just in general. In rugby, the referee is referred to as “sir.” We do not talk back and argue with them. We take the call and accept it. Also, we respect our teammates. Rugby is a team sport. Respect each other on the pitch or else you are going to have a tough game.

3. Have patience.

Everyone wants to get involved and be a part of the action. However, stepping out of the line can really break all that you’ve worked for. It creates a hole and the other team can easily get passed and score a try. It is better to stay away and keep the barrier than create a hole, but make an awesome tackle. The same goes for getting the ball. Your time will come, having patience and waiting for the ball and then showing what you can do is key. Good things come to those who wait.

4. Life doesn’t come with a safety manual.

Most sports come with some sort of protection: helmet, shin guards or pads. In rugby, all you have is a mouthguard. In reality, it’s all we really need. You can’t go through life thinking there is always going to be something there to protect you when you fall. I’ve been stepped on numerous of times and if you get hurt, then you get hurt. You’re going to get tackled and fall to the ground.

5. You have to be comfortable in your own skin.

In today’s society, so many people have issues with their body. In rugby, you really have to be comfortable with your body. In most sports, everyone warms up in their actual uniform. However, in rugby, you warm up in a warm up shirt or regular shirt. Then, before the game, you put on your number jersey. Also, the jerseys aren’t the most comfortable jerseys either. In a game, you are being pulled and dragged down, so either your shorts might fall down or your shirt is going to rise up. You just have to suck it up and move on. Also, being a girl with a lot of body issues, this has helped me become more comfortable in my skin because it happens to everyone and I got comfortable around my team.

Playing rugby has taught me a lot of life lessons that I’ll need for my future. I cannot thank my teammates and coaches for making me feel welcomed in playing. I wouldn’t want to be playing this sport with anyone else.