Is there such thing as Is there a universal experience regarding the student-athlete cycle? Is there such thing as, recruitment, waiting for playing time, playing time – finally if any, and graduation? As a student-athlete myself, I don't have a generic response, but I am going to go with 'no' as far as now.
I am a senior, field hockey player representing my institution at the Division II level, the one where "it is easier to balance school, academics, and social life" – because let's be honest, that's what everyone answers when they are being asked, "why didn't you choose Division I" in a slightly depicting tone.
Going back to the student-athlete cycle, the idea that there is no universal experience is one way to eliminate the stigma regarding mental health in collegiate athletes. Generally speaking, opting out of the sport we fell in love with, can be seen as quitting, or as the easy-way-out. Last night I came across an article that listed 36 reasons why 33% of athletes do not make it to the end-line as members of a team, and even though it is a little outdated (2014, oops) it is very important to start the conversation - like seriously talk about it, about the fact that every single athlete is a different and special world, and that mental health, THEIR mental health as well as THEIR physical and noticeable health, matters.
My experience was a full rollercoaster, I thought I was going to quit after my first full year of competition because I never saw the light at the end of the tunnel, once I decided to go back to school, my family was unable to pay my tuition regardless of the enormous help that my scholarship provided me. Then, boom I am a National Champion again, and National Player of the Year, but I wasn't able to go home for the holidays because my parents couldn't afford my ticket back home. I was the saddest person pretending to be a successful college-athlete. I really do not know why I didn't quit, I wasn't happy with who I was, I was still not happy about my performance, I felt like I wasn't enough, even though I had full support of my teammates, friends, coaching staff, family, you name it. Fast forward, 2 years later I am graduating, and I have been given the opportunity of pursuing my master's while competing one more year (thanks COVID), so I am quite not done yet, and for that I will be forever thankful.
Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward going back to campus and start practicing, running, lifting again as much as we can, it gives my everyday life a purpose, a sense of organization and belonging. But some student-athletes - and even myself, I am not going to fool anyone, do not feel this way all day everyday. And guess what? That's okay.
Regardless of the sport, making it to the finish-line is hard, for MANY reasons, and let me say that this is not a recent thing, this can be considered an ongoing issue (if I can call it like that) that's has been present within the higher education system for quite a bit.
So, from now on, I will be writing about these "36 reasons" while honestly and humbly, trying to understand other student-athletes' perspectives on this topic, and what I want to start calling "The Student-Athlete Cycle".
