After going to the same field to practice for years, growing up with the same people and having the same coach to motivate them, athletes build bonds with their sports. A sport becomes a staple in teens’ lives—something to fall back on. As memorable these times are, athletes are often unsure of the next step once they’ve aged out.
The end of a childhood sport is bittersweet, knowing that it’s time to let go is heartbreaking, but there is relief in the fact that there will be no more daily extensive practices and several games a week.
Senior Reagan Adkins found herself questioning how to proceed once her days of cheerleading came to an end. “I had been a cheerleader for a long period of my life. Just when I was excited and ready for more, it came time when I was too old for the sport,” she said.
Adkins was forced to form her new habits after no longer having weekly practices, “I was so upset for the longest time, and was feeling unsure on how to fill my schedule. It was never the end of the world though, because I found a new job! I love my job as it keeps me busy, and somewhat fills the void that cheerleading left behind,” she continued. Adkins’ experience should give athletes who have recently aged out confidence and reassurance that there is more to life than a sport.
Senior Olivia Rogers was a talented volleyball player for numerous years before she moved on to other things. Like Adkins, the sport coming to an end was a very hard time for Rogers. “I was sad in the beginning, but it ended up being beneficial for me to be able to move on from the sport I grew up with. I began to realize how much time I had when I stopped playing volleyball. I worked more, hung out with friends and family, while discovering other hobbies,” she said. Rogers found her life to be filled with excitement, and never let the end of her volleyball years tear her down.
Senior Jordyn Drish grew up being a softball player. After years of building bonds with her teammates and winning state titles, her time as a player came to an end her senior year, much like Rogers and Adkins.
“It was hard at first but made me feel happy in the long run because I had a lot more time to do whatever I enjoy,” She shared, “it also led me to start new activities like getting a job, I was able to start focusing on cross country earlier, and this year I’m even trying out wrestling. I spent a majority of my time working towards softball but good came from it,” she said. Returning to her love for running that began in middle school, Drish finished off the fall sport of girls cross country strong as a senior.
The feelings of heartbreak can be so strong when it’s time to walk off the field one last time. With heads hung low and loss of motivation, athletes can find that outside the stadium, there is so much more waiting for them. After packing away the worn out shoes one last time, the life lessons and memories from the sport will be carried along, into any new adventure or exploration that is left to be discovered.
Tears on the field, as the realization that it’s all over finally hits. A lifetime of a sport all comes crashing down as the clock hits 00:00. Athletes find that it’s time to let go, but what comes next?
