I miss high school sports – and I’m not talking about work.
In two weeks, the fall season of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League will officially be underway. If you are not registered to play something, you should ask yourself one question.
Why?
Playing high school sports is an opportunity to do something you would otherwise not be able to do. It’s competitive, it’s fun and you’re not playing against yourself. No one cares about team or AAU sports. College intramurals are fun, but not ambitious. The adult league is just an excuse to drink beer.
There are some who will continue their careers in college, but for many people high school is the last time you get to enjoy being an athlete. Don’t waste it.
The country is full of talented athletes and I am always surprised when they don’t play more sports.
I understand that sometimes there are limiting factors. Some children participate in other after-school activities that require the same commitment to being in class. Some children work or watch their younger siblings to help their families.
But there are many kids who have been sold a bag of goods by club/AAU coaches who tell them that playing other sports is a waste of time.
If you have an athletic look and have always wanted to try a sport, now is the time to do it. If you are not athletic but want to try a sport, now is the time to do it.
Love soccer but never played before? Go out for class. Want to stay in shape and get ready for your winter sports? No different programs will refuse. Do you have athletic ability but no athleticism? Tennis is something you can play forever.
Most of the RIIL programs are looking for people who can play and getting cut is not a problem. If you are trying to play a game for a high profile program where there is a shortage, try for the team you want to play for and if you can’t make it, check to see if one of the other games of the fall it will take. you to. The answer is, typically, yes.
(I’m not into high school sports, but if you’re running a high school program and you’re reducing athletes, you should reconsider. High school sports are for development, not for winning titles. .Keep every child trying to get out some travel and some exercise.
Every year, we see about a dozen athletes succeed in a sport they have never played before. More often than not, it’s an adult who wants to spend time with their friends and playing sports gives them a great opportunity to.
Over the years I have had casual conversations with many and they all say the same thing – “I wish I had tried this sooner.”
Why aren’t they?
Probably many reasons. Failure is the worst.
No one, especially successful athletes in other areas, wants to go out and suddenly feel lost. But just getting out is a win. Small victories there will advance you more than any feedback your “primary” game will give you.
How do I know? Because it happened to me.
When I entered high school, I had my plan: football in the fall, basketball in the winter, tennis in the spring. I quickly realized that I didn’t like football practice, I was cut from the gym my junior year and that left me as a one sport athlete.
I tried volleyball. I smelled, but I worked hard every day trying to put myself in a position to get playing time and help the beginners in training. My crowning achievement was starting on Senior Night over several players who had been with the program for three years.
In the winter, a friend of mine asked me to join a swim team. I had nothing else going on, so I went for it. How hard could it be?
Swimming has helped me in a way that no sport ever has. While everyone was doing their yards in different strokes, I swam 50 freestyles over and over. My first 50 was 45 seconds, but at the end of the year I broke 30 seconds.
My senior year of tennis I lost two matches and made the All-Division second team from my 3rd place finish. It was my sport and I enjoyed the practice. every game and game (minus the game loss), but all my accomplishments on the field paled in comparison to what I did in the winter and spring.
The work I did in volleyball and swimming taught me to work hard and be persistent in chasing goals. These lessons benefited me in my journalism career and helped put me on the path to finding my dream job. I continue to work hard because, like volleyball, I want to prove that I belong to football. I don’t approach work in the same old way because I want it to be better than it was before, like chasing the 30 second mark in the pool.
Sports taught me this. At that time, I did not know that I was learning them. It was a chance to hang out with friends, play for something important and have fun – and that’s what I miss most about high school athletics. The lessons from them were a bonus.
So if you’ve been thinking about trying a game, stop thinking and do it yourself. If you don’t have a game this fall, get one and challenge yourself like you’ve never been challenged before.
You won’t regret it – and you might end up discovering something about yourself along the way.
#Eric #Rueb #strong #case #playing #high #school #sports