Dear high school athletes,

Please don't rush on wanting to grow up. Don't throw away any of your practices away. Don't be discouraged, don't be mean to your coaches. Have fun. Enjoy it. One day, you'll be grown up, graduating from college, or having a family, and getting a job. Don't waste these moments. These moments are priceless. They're hard to redo. Don't take it for granted.

As I am writing this, I just got back from watching a holiday basketball tournament in my hometown. While I was watching the first game, a few thoughts came to my mind about how high school athletes can be with you while you grow up, and how they stick with you forever, and here they are:

1. Enjoy It:

Whether you're a freshman, or a senior, no matter what sport you're in,or how good you are, enjoy these moments! Enjoy being yelled at by your coach, enjoy being with your teammates, enjoy being able to wake up at 6 to travel to a game, enjoy being able to skip class for a day for a tournament. Enjoy winning. Enjoy losing-especially with your teammates by your side. Enjoy being able to represent your hometown with some of your high school best friends and people.

2. Challenge Yourself To Become Better:

When I was at the basketball tournament, I was reminded by seeing all the coaches, that you should take these moments and these times to become a better athlete, a better player, a better teammate, and a better person. Challenge yourself to develop a new skill within your sport. Challenge yourself to break your time on a run, challenge yourself to help out the coaches, challenge yourself to help out a teammate that may need help with a drill, build people up, take the advice, use this time to see just how far you can go.

3. Have Fun:

These moments will be the most fun times of your life- especially when you are spending every day (and more) with people that you grew up with and become best friends with. These moments are timeless. You'll look back on the practices, and becoming better that despite the pain and obstacles you had to overcome, you'll remember the happy times, and personal victories, and just smile, because it was fun all at the same time.

4. Brush Things Off & Leave Them At The Game:

As the saying goes, "Don't let a win get to your head, and don't let a lost get to your heart" could not be more true as I am writing this. When you win, celebrate and congratulate your teammates, thank your coach and sing your Alma mater with pride. When you lose, be a good sport about it, and genuinely high five and congratulate your opponents. If there is a bad call, or you don't feel like you're being treated fairly, keep your cool, and just leave it out on the field, at the game, or the meet. Those moments will come and go and they won't be relevant later on. When you win, it's fun to reminisce on it, but use what you did to get that victory and channel that into other aspects of your life.

5. Become A Good Student:

When I was a high school athlete, I also had to do well in the classroom. I had to maintain certain grades in order to go to the games and travel. During your time of high school athletes, take school seriously! I promise you, you will thank me later! Help out your teammates with their homework, get together and help each other out. Help them to become better. Take school seriously. If you want to be able to play at the collegiate, or next level, being a scholar, while also being involved will pay off- literally!

6. Thank Your Coaches, Teachers, Family, And Friends:

During these times, your mom, or dad, or someone will bring you and pick you up from practice. Thank them. Thank them for their support, and for doing everything they could to get you to practices, and to help you outside of practice. Thank your friends for their patience and support on those out-of-town games, when you have to tell you can't go to an event, because practice, or because you just needed rest on that Saturday night. Thank your coaches and thank your teachers. Your coaches are there for you- despite if you disagree or not. They want you to become better. They will get frustrated, they will congratulate you, they will help you, they will be there for you. Also thank your teachers. Some teachers understand that having a certain grade determines your eligibility to play. Make it easy on them and help yourself out to help them help you. Go into their classroom for help, talk to your coaches, be on top of your school work. They want you to succeed both on and off the field.

7. Use It To Help You Grow:

I promise you, you will continue to grow after these high school years, but please use your time as an athlete to channel into other aspects of your life. Think about what traits running that mile time is teaching you. What are you gaining when you score a touchdown, or finally able to dunk that ball? Or beat your time in the 200 meter medley? Are you changing? Are you growing? Think about how each day will be a day closer to that goal if you just stuck with it, if you just pushed yourself a little bit harder each day in practice and allowed yourself to grow.

8. Always Love The Game:

Lastly, and my most important thought, is LOVE THE GAME. No matter if it's basketball, cheerleading, dance, football, swimming, wrestling, track and field, soccer, and so many other sports out there, love it so much that when you look back on it, you smile and want to be able to tell the generations after you to keep enjoying it. These times are the best if you allow them to be, especially If you treat each day with a grateful heart and want to become a better, overall person, because of it.

I hope that after reading this, you go live everyday like it's your last and you play your heart out at every game and thank your coaches.

Sincerely,

A former high school athelte