Being part of a sport’s team comes with benefits and struggles on a daily basis. As someone who is constantly playing sports, and being a part of the school community, here’s what I’ve learned on balancing life.
Participating in a sport is a good way to stay motivated, having a goal, and a reason to keep pushing forward. It’s a way to entertain myself, and obtain better connections to other companions who find an interest in the activity.
During the year, I tend to spend most of my free time staying in good condition, such as consuming healthy diets, working out five times a week, and having a good sleep schedule. I like to engage in artistic hobbies to help me de-stress and unwind after challenging tasks.
I’ve been a part of the swim team since freshman year, with this upcoming season being my last, it honestly feels scary saying it is. In a blink of an eye, I’m barely diving in, and then I come out to realize it’s been four years.
Staying active has had a great impact on me, not only from the interactions I’ve had, with friends and coaches, but also from how I always pushed myself to become more. Each season going above and beyond what I thought were my limits. The 500 yard swim for example, I was afraid to participate in it, and yet I choose it every single meet.
With these accomplishments, they bring struggles to my life, to my health mostly, but my relationships. When these seasons arrive, I tend to devote more time to sports than my school life, or even personal life. I become less social, more focused, and yet it works out, because I deliver.
The devotion to a sport is very difficult because it’s not just an activity for fun, it’s a commitment, not just for yourself but for others, having someone the team can rely on. This puts pressure on many athletes, myself especially, because my team requires an outstanding performance on my behalf.
In a sport, you will face setbacks, but recognizing a mistake is part of the journey to improvement. Maybe my time isn’t fast enough, well my mindset changes where I make sure to improve the next time.
With this being my final sports season, I’m going to miss the anticipation for the season. I workout, stay in shape and prepare myself for the sport, but once this season is over, I won’t have the same motivation.
Once it’s over, I’m going to focus on work, school, and personal growth, and even though this will be my final season of doing sports, I’ll always remember the process I went through, and how it shaped me into enduring difficult moments.
The best thing about participating in a sport, is that you have others to help you, and push you to unlock new limits.
