Before playing sports, I was more reserved, took less risks, and didn’t believe I could ever be “athletic” in any way. I thought that by the time anyone reaches the second grade, they are destined to become a good “musician,” “artist,” or “athlete” based on the extra-curricular activities their parents have signed them up for since preschool.
I remember in a group high school interview we were asked, “what is your biggest regret?” By the time it was my turn, the girls who went before me had already said what I wanted to say. The first girl responded, “I wish I continued with gymnastics because watching my friends do all these crazy tricks reminds me of how good I could have been.” Another girl said, “I wish I didn’t quit soccer because it was actually really fun.”
I’ve experimented with numerous sports over the years: dance, gymnastics, soccer, softball, cross country, and track, but the ones I love practicing today are tennis, water polo, and swimming. Playing a combination of varsity land and water sports has taught me key lessons that can apply to almost any situation life throws at me.
Not all pain is bad, but know your limits:
When first season rolls around, it’s my happiest time of the year. Tennis has always been my favorite part of my day; I can spend hours outside with just a ball machine and my racket. In tennis, an athletic player does not make a “good” player. I have built a toolbox of mental tactics by playing with a wide range of players: the aggressive baseliner, the all-court player, the serve-and-volleyer, and of course, the notorious pusher. From mastering the backhand slice to finishing off my opponent’s weak second serve, there is always something for me to improve on.
During the 2017 tennis season, I injured my wrist because of extreme overuse. I would play tennis every day for at least two and a half hours, and after practice would almost always go hit more with the wall while everyone else parted ways. I would play until I couldn’t see the ball anymore because it got too dark. I would ignore the increasingly frequent physical signs my body was trying to warm me to rest, up until it hurt tremendously to even play mini tennis during warm-up. I eventually visited Mr. G and was put on the no-playlist for about a month. I couldn’t bear to sit on the sidelines and watch, so I began to hit again. That only made everything worse so I was out for the entire season and even had to see a physical therapist.
Lesson learned, I should know my limits. Being out for a few weeks is way better than being seriously injured and risking long-term damage.
Pierre Wuu
Teamwork makes the dream work:
I’m not going to lie, playing water polo during the chilliest time of the year is quite a challenge. Of my three sports, water polo is the only one involving physical contact. Polo 101: imagine playing soccer in the water – but with people trying to drown you at all times. Not only must you be a strong swimmer in order to catch up to your opponents, but you also need to develop a strong shooting arm and play aggressive defense.
Being part of a team means we rely on each other for assists and to switch defenders when ours are just way too fast for us. It means we all endure the same swim sets together to improve our conditioning for games. It means we all end practice together dragging the broken tarps across the pool in the cold. The more people cooperate, the faster and better we can get the job done.
Ally Casillas
Seek progress over perfection:
Being able to wear shorts again without my legs freezing off signals that swim season is right around the corner. I think swim is the hardest, yet most rewarding, of my three seasons of high school sports. Racing against the clock to make my bases has taught me grit and determination. No matter how fast I get, I know I can always push myself to get even faster.
Swimming set after set after set may leave me sore overnight, but in the long-term, my efforts will all pay off. Setting and breaking personal bests has redefined my perception of my physical and mental capabilities. I used to compare myself all the time to nationally-ranked swimmers and wonder why I was so slow. Once I realized that this attitude wasn’t helping, I began to celebrate the little things, such as shaving off half a second off my 50 free or placing second in a race as a freshman. This positive mindset went as far as helping me break a school relay record during League Finals.
Scott Nichols
Although part of me wishes I could go back to 2010 and tell my second-grade self that I could be more than just a pianist, I believe everything happens for a reason. If I would have told myself that, I would probably never have had the time to complete the highest level of ABRSM piano and experience the pure joy of playing music. In the great words of Charles R. Swindoll, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
Regardless of what your favorite sport is, I guarantee that remembering these three pillars of successful athletes will bring you joy both on and off the field/pitch/court/pool/track/studio:
- Not all pain is bad, but know your limits.
- Teamwork makes the dream work.
- Seek progress over perfection.
