Heart pounding, mind racing, and legs moving as fast as they can go. The winning goal, the final point, merely seconds away. Triumph spreads among the team, the crowd roars in excitement as the athlete wins. The moment they have been working on for months and years finally rejoiced. The feeling of happiness and success courses through their veins.
There are many athletes all over the world, of all ages. Most student athletes start playing sports at an early age. Why is age such a key factor when starting a sport? What about those people who are overlooked, the late bloomers? What about the athletes who start their sport careers in high school, or even later in life?
Since 2022, 62% of 8 to 12-year-olds in the United States play a sport on a regular basis. Only 57% of those kids continue that sport into their high school career summarized from Youth Sports Facts Participant Rates by Project Play. This is usually caused by burnout, injuries, and anxiety from 70% of kids drop out of youth sports by age 13, according to Stephen Borelli.
As a result, there is a decrease in student athletes as they get older due to being exhausted from their sport. The pressure of the sport can make an athlete quit. But for students who have not experienced this pressure and want to do or join a sport, how would they start?
Mr. Heinz, a Health Careers teacher, the head basketball coach, and the Athletic Director at Liberty, advises people starting a sport to “begin with learning the fundamentals. An athlete needs to train hard and be physically fit. They also need to have a goal. All athletes should seek advice from more experienced athletes and coaches. Do not be afraid to ask questions.”
Moreover, others who did not start a sport at a youthful age or are interested in doing sports should start by researching what they need to do to become an athlete. It is easier to start an athletic career in high school because there are coaches that can help. For Liberty students who are interested in doing a sport, the contact information for all the coaches is on Liberty’s website. So why be afraid to try something new? Worries about not having the skills as more advanced athletes are what may hold people back from trying.
Maria Gibbs, a Senior at Liberty, has been playing tennis for three years. She started playing in her sophomore year. At first, she was hesitant to join because she felt that she should have started her sophomore year. As soon as she was on the team she was welcomed with open arms and glad she started playing. Gibbs adds, “You can learn any sport if you have a good attitude and are willing to try.”
Starting a sport later than others is harder, but it is all about how much effort someone puts into their goal. Students who have been playing since they were young still learn new things about being an athlete.
Isabella Woods, is a Junior at Liberty, has been playing soccer since she was four years old. She commented that starting later is a physical disadvantage, while others who started earlier are more developed in their sport, but you are never too old to start a sport. She also adds to not “let your sport define you” and to “make sure you also have balance, to not burn yourself out.” Woods wants to let people know that even if an athlete feels like they are failing, their failure should not define them, but let them grow from their mistakes.
There is no stopping someone from starting a sport or becoming an athlete because athletes can find help online or from others. It's all about having a personal goal, determination, and a growth mindset, all while keeping in mind that failure does not stop someone from trying their best.
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