Graduating high school and going to college means saying goodbye to many things. Your best friends, your family, your bed, home cooked food, you name it. All of the things that helped shape you into the person you are have to be abandoned at the drop of a hat. For some, this includes their first love. Many could put a name to a face of their first love, whether a kindergarten crush or a high school sweetheart, but for me this love is not a who but a what.

Softball is a sport that I fell for the second my spikes touched the infield for the first time. I started playing when I was about seven years old and did not stop until I graduated from high school. I competed at all levels, including recreational, all stars, junior high, junior varsity, varsity, and travel, so it is fair to say I have had my fair share of laps around the bases.

Now I know this may seem strange, talking about another sport when I have dedicated myself to basketball. I agree, but there are many aspects of my relationship with softball that could never compare to basketball.

Softball has always come naturally to me. It was just one of those things I could succeed in and never get tired of it. Some people would complain or whine about a three game day during a tournament or the rough and rainy conditions during practice. Those were my favorite days when I would not get home until midnight because of games or my white shirt would be caked with mud after a rainy practice.

It was my outlet for stress relief. I remember one December morning before basketball practice, my mom found me out in my backyard hitting a bucket of softballs off of the tee. She knew better than to say anything against it because she understood the method to my madness.

This was also where I have made some of my best memories and lifelong friends. Team pool parties during the summer after winning the tournament, playing snapchat tag in the hotel, even just the bus rides to and from away games provided great moments to bond with teammates and make lasting friends. I can honestly say that softball has introduced me to some of the most influential people in my life, form one of my best friends, to upperclassmen who I am grateful for every day for teaching me how to be a leader and role model to underclassmen, to coaches who I am still in contact with today.

Most importantly, softball has taught me life lessons. You never know what others have going on in their lives, so respect everyone and treat others the way you want to be treated. Sometimes, all you can do is reach back and rise above. Dig deep inside of yourself to find the will and fight to push through and overcome any obstacle that is in your way.

With all of the positive things softball has brought into my life, it is very clear why abandoning the game will never get easier. The smell of a fresh new glove, the metallic sound of a ball connecting with a bat, and the stinging sensation of cuts and scrapes from sliding safely into second on a steal are things that I might never experience again, but the memories, the friendships, and the lessons I learned along the journey are unforgettable. Peace. Love. Softball.