Dear Freshmen Starters,

You are a freshmen. I remember when I was a freshmen and the thought of starting on a varsity team blew my mind. All my life I could not wait to play for the school, and suddenly it was reality. You feel the need to prove yourself, and you should. The nerves are out of this world, and the rush of adrenaline prior to game time is out of this world. There is a “next season” just in case you did not accomplish what you set out to do that season, but that will not last forever. There will come a day where you play your final game of your sport, and it will be the most heart wrenching feeling ever. Soon, you will be in my shoes and saying your final goodbyes to the sports that you have been dedicating your life to for the past 12 years. As you go through high school, athletes do not realize how much time flies until they are a senior, participating in their last everything. Last football game. Last volleyball game. Last bus trip with the basketball team. Last get-together in center field after a big win. Freshmen do not realize how precious time is right now, neither do sophomores. For often than not, underclassmen go through high school not realizing that these are the best years of our lives. Not until I was a senior, that I realized how fast high school went.

“Do not take it for granted.”

Young athletes get told this quote over and over again, and they truly do not understand how much seniors mean that. I say this from time to time to athletes that are not living up to their potential, because I would do anything to go switch them and be a freshmen again to relive my high school years. Soon, you freshmen will be the ones graduating and trying to figure out life. My advice, make memories. Put yourself out there and create friendships because years down the road you will still be talking about moments. Although my life has been all about sports since the second grade, the memories that have been made off the court mean more to me than the ones on the court.

Good luck with the next few years of your high school career. One day, you will have a freshman that looks up to you like you are the best thing in the world. Being able to be a role model for younger athletes is the best feeling/memory I have from high school. When you are their inspiration and someone they want to shape their life to be like.. I promise you, it will change your life forever.

Love,

A Graduating Senior