Teammate. A simple eight letter compound word. Yet, the mention of this word floods your mind with memories of pride, family, and companionship if you have been lucky enough to be a part of a team. It is a reminder of grueling hours on your field, early mornings, and pushing yourself to your breaking point, only to look around and see your teammates right there with you. A reminder of hard fought victories, fierce loyalty, and the moment your heart soars when the final whistle blows and you walk off the field with your head held high knowing you gave everything you had. You may be sore for days but no one can take that victory or that sense of companionship away from you.

Your team is like your second family sewn together by love for your sport and your common goal to win. Everyone has an off day or doesn’t feel 100%, that’s when you lean on your team to pick you up and support you until you get out of your slump. Teammates are there for you through your pop-ups and your grand slams, your slow days and your personal record’s, your wild shots and your flawless finishes.

Victory cannot be achieved through a single person and your teammates help to balance out your strengths and weaknesses. No single person can turn a double play or cross the ball to themselves for a header to win the game. Teams work most effectively when you can trust each other to get the job done. This trust allows you to feel comfortable with the possibility of failure yet strive to never let your team down. You are no longer playing solely for yourself but for the people that have spent hours working beside you through the early mornings and the scorching afternoons.

The long bus rides and hours on the field between games may seem burdensome but these are the times when inside jokes are made to be looked back on fondly to brighten up a hard workout or a devastating loss. These are the people who will surround you through emotional and physical highs and lows. And although they are simply described as teammates they will always mean more than that. So in this new stage of life, go out and find your team.