Hey, senior athletes. Well, I guess most of this article could really go for any high school athlete. Anyway, I am sure you seniors have the same thought that I did when I was a senior: I'm not ready for this to end. Some of you football and basketball seniors have already played your last first game, and some of you have even had senior night already. Before you know it, you baseball and softball players will be in the exact same boat as well as the golfers and track runners, whatever the sport may be; for a lot of you, this is your last year.
But I am not trying to make you sad. In fact, I want to encourage you. Instead of dwelling on your athletic career coming to an end, make this year the greatest one yet. Push yourself a little bit harder each day. Maybe you missed 50 threes today in practice, so make 100 tomorrow. Maybe you could not catch a football to save your life in practice, but you can build from that the next day. Never be too hard on yourself for having an off day or making a mistake. Instead, learn from those obstacles and work hard to improve yourself so that you can be a better teammate and leader. Set an example for your younger teammates so they have someone to look up to and are ready to fill your spot once you leave.
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Coaches always tell us to give our all until the very last second--until the last buzzer sounds to end the game, right? They say that, of course, because they want us to never give up and expect us to have the "want-to" to win; Coaches also hammer those words into our heads because they know that when our athletic career is over, we'll regret not giving a 110% and not taking the extra time to better our skills. When I was a senior last year, my basketball coach told us, "I don't care if we lose as long as each and every one of y'all can come into this locker room after the game, look me in the face, and tell me that you gave everything you got."
That can apply to all of you seniors and even for those of you who aren't seniors yet. Maybe you lost a game that you ached so badly to win, but if you gave everything you had and worked your tail off until the end of the game, BE PROUD OF YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAM. Don't spend time dwelling on the loss, build from it. If you don't, I promise that you will regret it when the season is over, and you have played the last basketball game of your life with your best friends.
Cherish every single moment on that court or on that field because you will never be able to play there again once your last season has ended. That's harsh, I know, but that is why I am encouraging you guys to work so hard that you leave a part of yourself there so that when you return later in life it's like you are meeting back up with an old friend.
I get a little upset when I see pictures of my younger teammates posting pregame pictures or videos because I wish I could still be there playing. I didn't always try my absolute hardest last year, but that is why I am urging you seniors to do so this year because you don't get a do over. When you are finished, that is it.
So, sprint as fast as you can until you feel like you cannot stand anymore. Improve your skills outside of practice, not just during practice, especially you younger players. You can never stop improving. Practice shooting, pitching, hitting, throwing every chance you get. One of my college professors told us "Practice doesn't make perfect; it makes permanent." The further you improve your skills, the better teammate you will become and the more successful your team will be. My coach always told our team, "Your mind quits before your body does." Don't sell yourself short, you guys, because not being able to play the game you love anymore is upsetting.
