Running onto the field for the last time, taking your last shot at a goal, stepping up to the plate for your last at-bat, playing your last game; there's no other feeling like that of your "last." It is a sensation that makes your hands shake a little more, your heart beat a little faster, and your brain work a little harder. All too often though, the stress is too much to handle and failure overrides success. Instead, it is your last time running off the field. It is a feeling worse than ever imaginable until experienced personally.
As a senior, graduates tell you, "relish each moment" or "don't take anything for granted." It's true, however nothing can ever completely prepare you for the aftermath: utter numbness amidst countless unanswered questions. What do you do with your time now that daily practices are over? Are you still going to be best friends with your teammates? Am I ever going to play this game ever again?
Well, here is the truth. The numbness fades. Your teammates are always going to be apart of your life, whether you want them to be or not. After taking a year to reflect on the aftermath of my own "lasts," I can attest to the fact that some teammates just never really leave. It's a blessing, really. And yes, you will play again. That is the hard part. You will never wear your own jersey ever again, instead it is replaced with a t-shirt and half-speed games. Some people can't wait to show off their high school talents, others find it difficult to play at a level different than before. It's tough and it's a test of your own mental ability, but sometimes, it can be more rewarding than you think. Besides, it's pretty fun to show off.
There are some crucial things to remember, however. It is important to know that your sport will always be acpart of you. Twenty years from now, in a time where we are husbands, wives, and parents, it will be stories of our adolescent pastimes that will prove to our children that we were once passionate about something. Additionally, it is important to remember that one single game doesn't define your entire sports career, even if it is your last. One bad game is about equivalent to one burnt cookie in a batch of other seemingly enticing cookies. Just because you got one bad cookie doesn't mean you will stop loving cookies in general.
We're constantly told as young athletes to play every game as if it is our last, but no one ever prepares you for what to do when you finally reach that last game. Just because the game is over doesn't mean you aren't an athlete anymore. Sports have a way of staying in your life forever.
