To The Young Athlete:

Playing sports can be one of the greatest experiences your life. Sports are not only a way to be healthy and stay in shape, they are also an opportunity to grow as a person. But in the stress of a game, sometimes you lose focus on what makes being an athlete so special. Here are a few tips, so you can make the most of the experience.

You don't have to be the best.

No one said you have to be the best, and no one should expect it. Because let's face it -- only one person in the entire world can be the best. Instead focus on being your best. Work hard. You may not always start, but keep a good attitude. Some of the most important things I learned about softball I learned sitting next to my coach on the bench while my teammates were out on the field. These things will come in handy later when you get your chance to play, and your coaches notice. My dad always reminded me that Michael Jordan didn't make his high school team, but he ended up becoming one of the greatest players of all time. So I pass that reminder on to you. Focus on improving. At the end of the day, be satisfied that you are a better player than yourself when you first started, not a better player than everyone else.

Don't let a negative comment or a bad game define you.

When I first started to get serious about softball, I was told that I could never play third base, because I "wasn't an athlete." Instead of being upset, I proved that coach wrong, and ended up starting there on my travel team the next year. I didn't let that comment dictate whom I was going to become as a player. The same can be said of a bad game. You can't go your whole career without having a bad game or two. It's life. There will be days where you don't feel well or you're just off. But a bad game doesn't make you a bad player. Don't let one mistake turn into two. Shake it off and give the next play your all. In baseball, for example, a good batting average is around .300. This means you are getting a hit less than one-third of the time. If you focus on all of the hits you didn't get, it will only make you feel badly about yourself. Instead focus on all of the positives that did happen in the game. Acknowledge any mistakes, then move on. Focus on the positive, and use that as your momentum to keep up your game. Don't let someone, or even yourself, get in your head, or you won't be able to play to your fullest ability.

Give it your all.

Like I said before, the most important thing is doing the best you can. Coaches notice hard work. So go out there and do extra reps and ask your coaches for help whenever you need it. Practice or game, don't end with a clean uniform. You play like you practice, and your coach is watching. So go hard and leave it all on the field.

Treat your teammates like family, because chances are they will become just that.

I never thought that a majority of my friends would be from sports, but they are. Some of my closest friends are girls from other towns that I never would have met if it hadn't been for softball. Nothing brings you closer than working hard to achieve something together. Your teammates are there to support you in a win or a loss, because you win and lose as a team. Bus trips and hotel stays are an ideal time to get to know your teammates as more than just athletes but as friends, so take advantage of that time. Even though there are times that you may be competing against each other for a starting spot, your teammates are still the ones who will have your back time and time again.

Thank your parents.

Or whoever it is that makes it possible for you to play. They drive you back and forth, pay for your equipment, and wake up at the crack of dawn to watch you play. Make sure they know that you appreciate it.

Never forget what it's all about.

Chances are, you started playing sports because it was fun. Don't ever let yourself get out of that mentality. If you're only playing because it will make your parents happy, stop. If the only thing you want is to win, stop. Because then it's not fun anymore. Playing a sport should make you happy, not miserable.

Cherish every minute.

Because there will come a day when you don't play anymore. Whether that day is tomorrow or five years for now, it will come. So make sure you make the most of every day that you step on the field or court; these are the days you'll remember long after you put down your glove or unlace your cleats for the last time.