Growing up an athlete means you grow up with impeccable time management. Between squeezing in doctors appointments, practice times, tournaments, school, and a social life, you manage to make everything fit in one day. You have the hours of each day mapped out from when you left your house to the time you'd come back at night. You have the days planned out for when you have to travel six hours for a tournament and when you'll be back with all of your homework for the weekend somehow done. Amidst all of the chaos, you managed to contact college coaches in hopes to continue your athlete career and if you're lucky enough, you fulfill that dream of becoming an NCAA athlete.
I was one of the lucky ones.
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I used to say when I was young that one day I would be a varsity starter for all of the sports I played and that lead to countless hours after practices taking extra shots, extra batting practice, that last sprint before I left the court. When I achieved that goal, I told myself I would become a starter on a collegiate team, which lead to an ungodly amount of gym time, practice, and money for my travel teams. When I started pushing for my future, the present seemed to fall into place, leaving me with over three dozen athletic awards by the end of my high school career. The day I went to my recruit over night was the day I realized just what I was capable of doing and ever since that day I have never looked back.
I was one of the lucky ones.
I moved into my room the first day of preseason and said goodbye to my parents, unsure of what I was truly getting into and unsure if I could handle any of it. But one thing I told myself is that no matter how hard it was going to be, I would not let anything get in my way. Little did I know it would be something that would change my life forever.
I was one of the lucky ones.
A few weeks later for our first game, my name and number were announced in the starting lineup and I stepped forward proudly as the only thing i was focusing on was my parents cheers as they saw my dedication pay off. I was one of the lucky ones. I took an opportunity by the horns and made it what I wanted it to be.
Becoming a collegiate athlete allowed me to shut up everybody back home who said I would never make it in college sport. Becoming a collegiate athlete has molded me into a leader and somebody who will step forward and get things done when others are too nervous to. Becoming a collegiate athlete has given me a team who is more supportive than any other I have ever been a part of. Becoming a collegiate athlete has made me realize that you earn everything, nothing will ever be handed to you. It is teaching me that when you work for something your work will not go unnoticed, even when you thing it does. Being a collegiate athlete has allowed me to represent my university with 12 other girls in a way that nobody will quite understand. Being a collegiate athlete has taught me that no matter the situation of the game, all members must be on board.
I am one of the lucky ones, and the blessing of being a collegiate athlete is that you see how truly lucky you are.
