 .....Let us start with a hypothetical yet common example. Rachel is a senior in high school and has played soccer since she was five with private lessons and training on top of nearly year-round practices and games. She is nearing the end of her high school playing career, and many of her friends on her club team have committed to colleges already. She still believes she can get a scholarship if she works harder during her last season, so she goes all-in on soccer training and puts everything else to the side. Since she spends all her time practicing for soccer, her grades and relationships with her friends begin to dive. The end of the season comes, and she has received no offers to play soccer anywhere. Her grades have slipped far enough to have difficulty getting into universities, and her relationships with her friends have been strained. All the time and effort she put into soccer did not pay off, and she begins to feel depressed.This is a not uncommon scenario that applies to athletes transitioning from high school to college and from college to professional. The example is not to say that athletes should give up right away because there is too much competition. If you have a dream, you should chase it. But do not forget to live life in the process and realize that everything does not always work out as planned...... ...more
Bethany`s Notes: Knowing who you are outside of your sport is a tough one. It`s important for all athletes to explore this and find things they enjoy and love outside of their sport.
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