As my senior year draws to a close, I’ve taken some time to really delve into how much high school athletics affected my path and molded me into the person I am today. Without the friendships I have made and the lessons I have learned, I can definitively say my experience at Air Academy High School would have been drastically different. During my freshman year, starting cross country in the fall helped me form immediate friendships and bonds with those who were suffering (from the running and exhaustion) around me. I met Kayla, Andy, and Coach Pete— all people who have been an integral part of who I am today, and who I look to be as I move on towards college. The experiences, memories, mistakes, and successes I endured in high school running shaped the individual you see today.

Though I am not saying sports are for everyone, I am saying that each person needs a niche were you feel at home— for me that was the cross country and track team. As I grew as a runner, I grew as a person. The perseverance I fought through on the track translated to many aspects of my everyday life. I delved into my weaknesses, strengths, and improvements, but more importantly, I was surrounded by peers undergoing the same struggles. Our bonds grew deeper, as did our understanding of the essential hard work needed to be successful in and out of the classroom. For me, the support from my teammates and the advice from my coaches helped form my character and grew my desire to continue to work towards my passion for running.

Running gave me a why— by having a definitive reason why I am working so hard, why I am putting in the extra work, or why I am getting all my assignments done, the more likely I am to get those integral parts done. Your “why” helps you realize that greatness is just a series of small things, done well. If you can find a reason why to continue to work towards your passion, then the only thing standing in your way is how. I found my passion in running, my teammates helped me find a reason why to keep at it, and my coaches helped me through how to achieve it.

Others in the school have found that high school athletics have provided life lessons and memories that will carry on into their adult life. Jenny Najarian thinks “the importance of confidence in myself and my teammates” has been greatly increased through her experience in high school soccer. August Scott, a senior lacrosse player, thinks that his time spent playing high school sports taught him “a lot of time management.” Samantha Steigerwald agrees that high school swimming taught her how to use her time wisely, and stated, “all my really close friends came from swimming.”

Though high school sports are not for everyone, the memories, friendships, and experiences I made with my cross country and track team will stay with me much longer than any classroom lecture.