Hey friend,

If you're anything like me, your high school life was filled with sports. It was either early in the morning, right after school, or late into the night. You practiced with your team, on your own, your parents, your siblings, or with your friends. You didn't just play one league either. Your walls are riddled with awards, participation ribbons, etc. You have little paper certificates from your youth that had a little gold border, or that little gold circle.

Sports were your life. You were eating more than the normal human eats. You drenched shirts from sweat, tears, and sometimes even puke. You spent countless hours, devoting yourself to a sport.

But if you're also like me, you didn't go to college for a sport. You either didn't pursue a sport for your college career, or maybe your school doesn't have sports. Maybe you tried out for a team and didn't make it. Whatever your reason is, sports are no longer your life.

I'll be the one to say it...it's hard. I find myself missing coming together with other people to accomplish a common goal. I miss the drama of being on a team. I miss the encouragement, the friendships, and the memories.

For a busy college student, sometimes its really hard to find time to devote going to the gym. For those who have been able to fit the gym into their schedule, I applaud you. Really, I do.

But for me, I love sports because I don't have to actively acknowledge that this is healthy for me because it will put me in great shape, it's just a bonus. When I try to go to the gym, I get bored so easily. I have no reason to get in shape besides the sheer desire of wanting to be in great shape.

Sports spoiled me. Sports allowed me to get so much more than just a six pack, a nice butt, and endurance.

I don't have a solution, besides joining an IM team or playing a pick up game. But I am hoping that former athletes can come together as a community, reminisce on the great times, and maybe encourage each other to find new ways to love sports again. Whether we go to professional games, or college games, or high school games.

To the former athlete, you're not alone. There are others who miss playing like you do. There are others who had to stop because they hurt their knees, their ACLs, their backs, etc. There are others who lost the time. There are others who have no access to Intramural teams, or courts, or equipment to play. You're not alone.

Let's continue healing our bodies from years of playing. Let's continue to love the sport. Let's teach future athletes the tips, the quirks, and the tricks of the game. Let's encourage people to be healthy, in shape, and love what they do. Let's go.