I attended a small private school on the Big Island of Hawai’i for all four years of High School and the students were required to play a sport every semester. Of course, there were always art and drama options for those who weren’t athletically inclined, but I chose to swim, paddle, play volleyball, water polo, and I wouldn’t trade the experiences that followed those choices for anything in the world. Here are a few of the things I gained during those four years.

1.Mental and physical strength.

The easiest thing to see while playing sports is how your body reacts to it. I gained muscle mass and I felt better about my body when I was playing sports vs. when I wasn’t. I also noticed a positive difference in my mental health. I was happier, mentally sharper, and able to remain virtually unaffected by negativity that came my way.

2.Teamwork.

Now this might seem like a no brainer...Of course you’re going to learn teamwork while you’re playing on a team! But when you dedicate two or more hours a day to the girls or boys you’re on a team with, you are forced to quickly learn what works and what doesn’t. You learn both to take the lead and to follow, and you learn what everyone needs to do in order for the practice or game to run smoothly.

3.Friendships and bonds.

This may be one of the best things I received while playing sports. Even if you don’t particularly love the sport, you’re going to find someone to bond with, whether it be a coach or a teammate. One of my longest lasting friendships has been with a girl at volleyball camp the summer before we both started our freshman year of high school. As freshmen we made it onto the varsity girls’ volleyball team mainly due to our height. As two little freshmen we were able to meet and make friends with juniors and seniors, most of whom we never would have even met if we hadn’t made the choice to join the volleyball team. As a little freshman in a new school, I can’t even begin to describe the comfort I found in having those friendships. High school is a tough time. You're dealing with school, relationships, bad lunches, and the occasional (and sometimes often) screw up. Forming good relationships that can last you a lifetime is an important part of high school and being on a team can help tremendously with that.

4.You get to learn about others.

I’m a firm believer that true colors come out when it’s game time. You learn who yells when the pressure is on (and whether they’re actually angry, or simply frustrated or excited), who’s a team player and who plays selfishly, and who truly learned something while your team ran through those mundane and sometimes awful drills in practice. It’s a good way to learn to respect others and their points of view, and it also allows you to recognize what you like and dislike in a person.

5.You get to learn about yourself.

This may be the most important byproduct of playing a team sport – you get to learn what makes you tick. When I swam, my coaches and teammates could help me up until the moment I entered the water during a race. At that moment, it was just me, alone in a lane, trying to put together everything I’d learned and trying to do my best for my team, and more importantly, for myself. Overall, I learned to be more assertive and call for the ball or approach the coach to ask what I could do to improve. I learned to take constructive criticism. I learned my own strengths and weaknesses and that in itself has led to me being able to take advantage of opportunities thrown my way.