Letter To My Freshman Self - Samuel Smith
Dear freshman self, At the end of my freshman year of football, I was ready to quit. College sports and high school sports are completely different animals. I had gone from being one of the best players on my team to being one of the worst in college. I was no longer the go-to guy in situations, instead, I played scout team against our starting offense and got roasted every day. I knew I wasn’t ready to step on the field and compete, it just seemed very far away that I would have the opportunity. I was miserable, I dreaded practices and didn’t want to continue playing football.
Dear freshman self,
At the end of my freshman year of football, I was ready to quit. College sports and high school sports are completely different animals. I had gone from being one of the best players on my team to being one of the worst in college. I was no longer the go-to guy in situations, instead, I played scout team against our starting offense and got roasted every day. I knew I wasn't ready to step on the field and compete, it just seemed very far away that I would have the opportunity. I was miserable, I dreaded practices and didn't want to continue playing football.
My mindset changed when I found enjoyment and happiness in being on a team. I was lucky enough to find two of my best friends in life on this team, as well as 80 other guys that I am proud to call brothers. I started to enjoy the hard work, perseverance, competition, and determination that it took to be on a football team. While actually playing was my eventual goal, I was happy going through the process of developing myself and allowing myself time to grow. Yes, some points were very frustrating. But I had the support and comradery of my teammates to fall back on. When I failed, I always had someone behind me to pick me up and believe in me. The seven other seniors and I have endured a coaching change, which all made us stronger for the better. We have been beaten, have sweat, bled, and cried next to one another. I trust those seniors as well as the other guys on my team. Despite the fact that my freshman year made me question my love of playing football, this journey turned into an experience I wouldn't trade for the world.
My overall message to freshman is to stick it out and you will not be disappointed. While practices, lifts, meetings, study halls, yoga sessions, and everything else that accompanies sports can seem really demanding, you only have a limited amount of time to form a brotherhood, to be on a team, and to test your limits.