Wake up, eat, class, eat, class, practice, eat, homework, sleep, repeat: a typical day as a student athlete. But, in actuality, I wouldn’t have it any other way. As a freshman, I didn’t know coming into the women’s lacrosse team that those girls would be like sisters to me; I never truly comprehended the true meaning of the word “team.” According to the Webster dictionary, team is defined as “a group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport,” but that only skims the surface of what it really means. To me, team is more synonymous with family, because if you’re as lucky as me, your team is your second family. They know what you’re capable of and aren’t afraid to push you to your potential. In practice, they are the ones who run faster than you to make you work harder and chase them. Your teammates are the ones who spend a majority of their Friday and Saturday nights in a random Holiday Inn with you, and still make it some of the best nights of college. They are the ones who lift you up when you make a mistake, and the ones who lift you even higher when you make an amazing play or score a goal. Being on a team teaches you the meaning of selflessness. These are the girls you will give your extra sports bra or socks to when they forget, the girls who will down two cartons of Ben and Jerry’s with you after a tough practice, and the girls who will be your best friends through all of it, win or lose. Being on a team is a blessing– don’t take it for granted.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St. Law U chapter.