For the past 12 years I have been on numerous athletic teams, and each team has impacted me greatly. Being a college athlete, I hang out with my team everyday, sometimes twice a day. We travel together, we work hard together, and we win together. There are days when we get along great, and some days we can’t stand each other. I first noticed how well we bonded when we traveled and were against some top Division 1 teams. They would barely talk to each other! How lucky I am to not only have teammates, but friends. I want to thank my teammates for that.

When I was looking at colleges I wanted to make sure the team dynamic was strong. I dreamed of being on a team where we hung out outside of practice. I was nervous around the girls when I first met them. They were very welcoming, and helped me get settled my freshman year. It’s hard trying to fit in, especially when my sport is an induvial sport. Even though every weekend we compete for traveling spots, we cheer for each other. That’s what separates us from many other teams.

One of my favorite things about this team is that we all are different, and bring something differently to the squad. We have a nerd, a girlie girl, a hippie and a crazy person on our team. Each of us is so different, but we each share a passion for this sport.We all come from different families and lifestyles, but somehow when we get together it doesn’t matter. Being different makes this team unique, and when someone looks at us they will probably think we are the weirdest team at our school.

Our conversations on the team can go from talking about what we will be eating for the next few meals (our team is always talking about food) to talking about life. I had a difficult semester but the girls on my team were so encouraging and motivating. I needed someone to tell me to get back up again, and they gave me the push. I want to thank them for helping me. Teammates should be inspiring you and you should inspire them.

I never realized how much my teammates meant to me until this year. We lost our coach, and went a whole season without one. It was just us. Many of us felt alone at first, then we realized we need to stick together. We knew this was a hard circumstance. The upperclassmen lead the team, and we all helped each other. We guided the freshmen through their first season of college sports, and continued trying to keep moving forward. There were many tough times, but we got through it. They acted as coaches and teammates.Just as much as we needed a coach, we needed each other. By staying strong we had a record-breaking season and our bond strengthened.

I have always heard that your college teammates will become your life-long friends. I realize how that is wrong. Our relationship is so much more than a friendship. My teammates are my sisters. We get annoyed with each other and complain, but at the end of the day we put all that aside. Through my time in college, each year I will have a different team. We will get new player and others will move on. I hope to continue having such a strong bond on this team, and creating lasting memories. Hopefully, we even make it to the NCAA finals and win. For now we are adjusting to getting a new coach and welcoming him to our family.