NARP. Noun. Acronym for Non-Athletic Regular Person.

Per Urban Dictionary:

“NARPS are commonly seen trying to perform rather easy or basic athletic tasks but failing miserably at them.”

In high school, you were the star of the varsity track team, who ran five minute miles and held the anchor position on the 4x8. Or maybe football was your sport, and you lead the team in touchdowns and field yardage. You proudly donned your school’s colors across your back, while all the NARPs sat in the stands with your number painted on their face, and watched you score the winning goal.

But now things have changed. You’re in college and heading to class when you see all the athletes strutting around in their bright and shiny athletic gear, and suddenly it hits you. Your own athletic career peaked in high school, and you are now the non-athletic regular person sitting in the stands, waving your pom poms, and contemplating what play you would have made if you were on the field instead. We’ve all been there.

Standing around a pong table at a party with all your new friends and you begin to feel self-conscious talking about your athletic career in high school. Because how good could you have been if you didn’t end up playing in college, right? Sure, you can brag about that lacrosse state championship you almost won, or about that insanely close swim race where you totally touched the wall first but the refs gipped you. But at the end of the day, you weren’t good enough or dedicated enough to play in college.

So instead of tagging your Instagram pictures with #D1bound, you have spent the semester priding yourself over the fact that your team made it to the playoff round in your school’s intramural basketball league. Well in my opinion, your lack of professional athleticism isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re not playing the sport for a scholarship, or to win a ring at the NCAA championship, what are you playing for? Here’s what I play for…

I play because I like being a part of a team, and having other people depend on me (whether or not they’re right to do so). I play for the support I get when I fail miserably at that exact athletic task that my teammates trusted me with. I play for the pre-game or pre-race hype sessions involving loud music, and the post-game team dinners regardless of the outcome of the game we just played. I play for the free t-shirts and the chance to wear a number on my back one more time. I play because it’s fun. I play for pure love of the sport.

So here’s to all the other collegiate NARPs out there, that are just now realizing they too peaked in high school. Here’s to all the other collegiate NARPs out there, who are just now realizing that this may be as good as it’s going to get, and you’re absolutely okay with it. Keep on cheering, keep on playing, and keep on loving the sport as much as you know you do.