Today marks the day when my old college team is going back to school for preseason. Today is also the day I realized that my last preseason WAS 2 YEARS AGO.
I cannot believe how that time flew! I also realized today how much I miss playing on a team. Those were seriously some of the best years of my life!
Yesterday I started to help my mom coach her HS field hockey team this season…this doesn’t help my sadness of not playing field hockey anymore. Although, don’t get me wrong- I love coaching those girls and teaching them all I learned! It just made me take a trip down memory lane!
Great things happened when I was on that team.
- I met the greatest friends and roommates ever!
- I also met this hottie.
after an injury that wouldn’t stop… 
And now he’s my own personal Athletic Trainer…haha jk (no, I’m not really at all!) It’s funny how life works out..isn’t it? :) (He also deserves a BIG congrats on getting a brand new GROWN-UP JOB! Congrats DREW!)
Fitness wise, I’ve learned somethings (a major one being I do not recover like my 18-19 year old body once did. I’m serious.) Not being on a team anymore has made me understand how hard it is to keep yourself motivated for workouts all the time. there is NO ONE telling you what you need to do to stay in shape! It’s all on you. This was definitely a hard transition to make after years of being on a team. In the past 2 years, I can’t say I’ve mastered this, but definitely am able to motivate myself better now. Know what also helps? Signing your butt up for some races! If you don’t want to keel over during that race- it definitely helps!
Cliché as it is, I’ve also learned a lot of life lessons playing on my college team for 4 years, mostly because I can’t say that things went my way the whole time I was on that team.
- The time commitment is tough! Balancing school, practice, social life, and everything else was hard but once you got into it – you knew how and had an amazing support system! To this day- I feel like I can balance a lot of things because I’m so used to it.
- Things don’t always go your way, and sometimes things actually turn and run in the opposite direction from you. i.e., My coach and I didn’t see eye-to-eye. I didn’t play as much as I would have liked…and I didn’t feel it was right. However, nothing much of that changed throughout my years on the team- BUT I did NOT quit. Quitting would have been the worst thing I could have ever done. At this point I know that I would severely regret that decision now.
- With that said- being positive is the only way to get through it. Don’t give up. Support everyone you can and move on. There is no need to dwell on these things. I did learn that they hard way (at times) I might add.
What I’m trying to say is (I think I’m making a point here??) Stick with things if you’re heart is in it. Things will workout whether you think they will or not…Whatever hurdle in your life will pass and in the end- you are going to be glad you stuck with whatever was hard or holding you back. To be extremely cliche- what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Really. Ah, Thank you Kelly Clarkson.
- What is something you are glad you stuck it out with in the end?
- Do you find it hard to keep yourself motivated while working out on your own?
It’s definitely easier to have an accountability partner. Just last week, I was planning on skipping out on a run, but my friend texted to make sure I was still going. I couldn’t let her down, and I ended up feeling good that I went.
oh it is isn’t it! going out by yourself is not motivating..i need to find a bike partner!
I had a similar situation with a HS basketball coach, we never saw eye-to-eye and I didn’t play as much as I would have liked. But like you, I didn’t quit. I came to practice every day and stuck it out. Even if the situation with the coach wasn’t ideal, I made good friends and learned a lot from the situation. I’m definitely stronger for it!
exactly the reason I stuck with it! there were too many good things from being on the team that outweighed the bad
I seriously miss my soccer playing days. I still play twice a week, but we dont have practices anymore, which of course makes it WAY different! Now I do what I can on my own, but its a bit hard to do some things a one!
aww i know..i wish there were more FH for adults but only in certain areas… it’s hard to do things by yourself all the time..one reason I like fitness classes!
Great insight! You learned so much! I love reflecting on all of those things in life too! I quit piano lessons after 10years because my teacher stopped giving lessons. I regret not sticking with it to this day!! Thanks for sharing! Super motivating! Makes me want to join something new! SPALove!
aww yah go find a team !
I was a college athlete too and feel that being on a team in college really gave me quite a few advantages after college. My coach was great, but he was hard to deal with, it taught me how to handle a crazy boss later down the line. I made some of my best friends on my team and we’re all reuniting next week to run Hood to Coast. I joined a running group and crossfit partially because I have a hard time motivating myself, I still haven’t completely figured out how to get out of the team mentality!
Aw I understand completely! I always liked group things so one reason I love fitness classes! Makes it easier to sweat it out with others! Thanks for stopping by and commenting
Endurance running is no joke… any significant time off and you can immediately feel a difference. It keeps me constantly in shape and my own internal competitive nature, keeps me focused on getting faster and going further. I also can’t help but think (multiple) sports throughout school helped me be who I am today.
So true! The reminder of how you feel when you lose some training can be a big motivator it still getting out there and logging the miles! Thanks for commenting today!
Being on a team is definitely a big motivator. I can totally relate to your issues with your coach. I had similar issues when I played soccer. Congrats to your BF on his job!!!
definitely..bad coaches suck but it was a learning experience!
i played vball and bball in school and miss it so much! it’s so much easier to be held accountable with team sports!
agree!! making myself accountable by myself can be soooo tough
I never played sports in college, but was recruited to play for a women’s rugby team almost 4 yrs ago. You do make such amazing friends playing sports. It is also how I met my marathon training buddy.
That’s do cool about your marathon buddy:) I wish I had someone to go out for long bike rides with but I haven’t found anyone
definitely an awesome way to look back on something that had such a huge part in your life! I agree about the motivation part – after I was no longer part of a team, I still ran every day but…it wasn’t as much fun. I went through a few months where running just felt akward and wrong because I was alone, and I’d been so used to chatting and being with people! In any case, you’ve learned a LOT, and you’re gonna make such a great coach!!! Those girls are lucky to have you! And CONGRATS to drew on his big-kid job!!