•November 13, 2006 • 3 Comments

 

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An athlete’s pride

•October 21, 2006 • 1 Comment

I’ve found this somewhere and has always been my greatest inspiration. I won’t forget how I crumbled last year and I shall continue fighting.

– An athlete’s pride –  

I’m a high school player. I’m a team player. I play with my friends and some of my enemies, but I respect everyone when it comes to my sport.

I know I’m not going to get a multi-million dollar contract to play professionally. I know I may not even get my name in the paper. But I play for the love of the game. For the pride and honor, for the blood, sweat and tears it takes to make the team, to earn the spot, to win the game. I play because I can. I play because I know my life would be empty without the sport I play.

I would have a lack of everything my sports gives me… integrity, courage, talent, fearlessness, pride, strength, stamina, will and the heart of a champion. If I didn’t play, I would lose a part of me. I’m an athlete. I’m a girl. I’m a champion, not because my team always wins, but because when we don’t, we learn from our mistakes. We try to fix them, but most of all because we have fun.

I’ve built lifelong friendships and memories because of my being as an athlete. I leave everything on the court o field and continue to push myself. I am never happy with a second place, but I’ve learnt to accept it. I’ve learnt to get over and through my anger to be an athlete and player I have always dreamt of being.

I don’t play for my parents, for my family, for my friends. I don’t play for my coach or my teachers or my school. I play the game for myself, but when I’m playing, I represent them.

It isn’t about winning or losing, but I hate to lose. I won’t settle for a tie, and I’m not satisfied with 100%. To play, you’ve to sacrifice everything, your body, your time, your sweat, blood, tears, and everything… for your team.

I’ve a player, and an athlete, and a champion, not because I know what it is like to win, but because I know what it is like to lose. I know what it is like to feel the anger and pain that comes along with the “second best”.

I have been that girl with tears in her eyes, walking out to receive the second place trophy and clapping as the other team, my opponents, receive the first place trophy.

I know what it is like to lose, to win, to want to quit, to want to cry, to not want to get up. I know what it is like to hear the cheers and yells for you. I know what it is like to feel the pressure of everyone on your shoulders, and I know what it is like to choke under the pressure. I know what it means to be an athlete, a true player, and that’s why I play.

I’m an athlete, a champion and a true player.