Growing up in the Midwest, everyone played sports; multiple sports, their entire life. Every kid I have ever met had grown up playing rec soccer, tee ball, and peewee basketball at some point in their childhood. As for my friends, we played everything—soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, track, cross country, gymnastics, dance, football, golf, tennis, swimming and softball all before we had even entered high school. As we got older, sport interests changed and developed and became much, much more serious. We picked two or three sports and essentially dedicated our entire lives to them. We loved them, cherished the moments, cried after them, smiled after them, and grew with and from them.

But eventually, your senior night came in each of your respected athletic events, and you played your last competition on your home court. And sadly, your heart broke when it was all said and done—your career ended and tragically, unless you won state—it ended in defeat. Some of the biggest heartache you have ever experienced. After all the time spent and memories shared, the relationship ended.

Deciding whether to continue your sport in college is a massive, huge, enormous, gigantic, large, and immense decision. You question all the factors—would you actually get to play? If you didn’t do it, would you be able to live with yourself? How much time would it take? For some of us, we went for it. Even with the uncertainty, we jumped in headfirst.

For some, continuing athletics at the collegiate level is the best thing. Others realize their competitive athletic days should have been left in high school. If you were one that fell in love with the college sports life—you are commended and honestly, good for you! It’s a job, and especially if you are playing at the Division III level, your hard work and time is appreciated. Especially since you are essentially paying to play. Not having athletic scholarships stinks, but if you love the game, you’ll do anything to keep playing.

For those who broke the ties, and broke your own heart in the process of breaking up with your sport, you’re not alone. You have spent the majority of your life practicing and striving to become the best of yourself, mastering skills at your sport. All for what? To decide you are not “in love” with it anymore. Sure, you’ll miss the competitive sensation every day, and even surprisingly start to miss the feeling of dreading daily practice. The feeling of guilt overwhelms you after a while, considering all the time and money spent on club, AAU, tournaments, and equipment. All of a sudden, what was the absolute biggest part of your life is now just a collection of memories. The break-up hits you deep.

Time heals the heart, though. After a few days, weeks, how ever long it takes you to get over your breakup, whether it was after high school or after your first college season, you do start to move on. You begin to turn your decision into a positive, and you realize you can still enjoy playing the sport without having to play it competitively as you did once before. It’s okay to run around a soccer field with friends and kick the ol' ball around. It’s okay to run around the track for exercise, without worrying about times. It’s okay to lift just for exercise, not for specific training programs, anymore. It’s okay to play a little pick-up b-ball from time to time. It’s really okay to miss your sport. It’s like any relationship that ends; you’re going to miss it, you’re going to reminisce on the good and bad times together, and you’re going to wonder what it would have been like to give it more time. But, you made your decision for a reason, and you should trust your instinct.

You now have the freedom to work out whenever you please. You can try to work out classes at your college rec building. You can go on runs whenever you please. You can live a life without as many daily commitments. You can fall in love with another hobby. Sometimes, it’s time to turn the page and move on. Sometimes the breakup leads you to the greatest things that are lying ahead. Eventually, you learn to accept the parting with your Nikes.