I have been an athlete my entire life. Starting at a young age, I was thrown into every sport imaginable. Whether it was to keep me busy or to see if I was Olympic material, I’ll never know. But what I do know is, playing sports changed my life for the better. From figure skating and hockey to tennis and badminton, I have played a variety of sports and each of them has added a positive aspect to my life.
Having a family of hockey players, it wasn’t much of a surprise that by age two I had my first pair of figure skates and was tossed out onto the ice. With its artistic elegance and glittery flair, figure skating was my first love. Between the morning practices, tests, and routines, ice-skating was my life for my entire childhood and teenage years. I was able to express myself in a way that other people couldn’t. It taught me to always get up when I fall down (literally) and to push myself to work harder and harder if I want to achieve my goals.
Learning new skills, memorizing routines, and falling… a lot were all part of the sport. Each time I laced up my skates I knew I had to put 100% into everything I learned that day. If I slacked off at practice, I wouldn’t just sabotage myself but it would be a slap in the face to not only my team, but also my parents. The amount of time and money my parents put into the sport made me give it all that I had each day. When I landed a new jump or centered a spin I wouldn’t just be proud of myself, but I would feel appreciation towards my parents for giving me the opportunity to actually achieve those skills.
When the weather turned warmer and the snow went away, it was time for two more of my favorite sports. Tennis and soccer ran my life during the fall, spring, and summer. In grade school, I had soccer practice every day after school and tournaments on the weekends. In high school, I had tennis practice every day for school, matches three times a week, and private lessons on the weekends. Playing soccer for over twelve years not only helped me meet new people, but unlike figure skating, I had a team relying on me and I couldn’t just worry about myself.
Everything I did on and off the field affected my team. If I injured myself in anyway and couldn’t play, we would be one man down and every person would have to play a little extra. If I missed practice or slacked off at practice, I wouldn’t play my best at the games and the team would suffer as a whole. When you are part of a team, it is unlike anything you have ever been a part of. A team is like a second family. You push each other to do the best you each can do because you want the best outcome for everyone. The harder you push each other the more likely you are to win and the closer you will be. Spending the long hours together during the week, experiencing the wins and losses, and being together through everything is what being a team is all about. On the first day of practice, everyone is silently judging each other. Some people know each other and others are meeting for the first time. You see how everyone plays individually and what it is like to play with each other. You witness the skills that everyone has. As you look around at the end of your first practice, you don’t see random faces but teammates and one hell of a group.
Playing tennis throughout high school was a great way to stay fit and meet new people. When I was told I would be attending a new school for high school, the first fear that ran through my head was “how am I going to make friends”? Playing tennis was the answer. Whether you are playing doubles or singles, you are part of a greater squad. Everyone’s scores matter and are put together at the end of the match. A singles player’s performance is just as important as a doubles team’s. Everyone has to do the same workouts, the same drills, and put in just as much effort as the next person. Playing tennis taught me that no matter your ranking on the team, you matter.
Sports changed my life for the better, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I didn’t play them. They kept me busy throughout school, teaching me to manage my time and perform my best in all aspects of my life. Playing sports taught me to push myself even when I thought I had nothing left. They taught me that my actions on and off the court would effect my playing as well as my team and no matter what happens if I gave my all the outcome doesn’t matter. But lets be real, everyone loves to win and when everyone’s efforts combined equal a victory, it is a feeling unlike any other. Whether you consider yourself an athlete or a casual gym attendee, playing sports and keeping active keeps you healthy, happy, and out of trouble. I can now take everything that I have learned in sports and apply it to my everyday life as an adult. It’s important to live a happy life, and live an active life. You will not regret it.