The friendships that you make in sports carry on for years. It is so important to not only make bonds with your teammates to benefit the team as a whole, but to also carry into your personal life. The endearment and kindness that you endure throughout your first years of playing a sport build as the years follow. 

When you first join a team, the fear of not knowing anyone is sure to send chills down your back if you’re anything like me. I am a social butterfly, but the idea of not knowing the people I will be running drills, practicing, and playing with create a lot of anxiety and stress. When you’re young, making friends is often a simple task. We are so innocent at the adolescent age and going up to say hello to someone isn’t overly difficult. As we grow older, the stigma around asking to be friends with someone grows and sometimes becomes awkward in the pre-teen and teenage years. 

Growing up in sports, I made many friends. I would join a new sport at the YMCA, and the same group of girls would follow me. It seemed as if this rotation was neverending. After we all grew up and moved on from the YMCA to bigger and better things, those connections were almost entirely lost. I wish that I would have kept the connections stronger and not let them weaken as the years went on. 

On the other hand, I know so many people that have kept these connections forever. In the soccer world, I know people that have gone from the YMCA onto SCOR (Soccer Club of Rockford) to Midwest United FC and then on to playing in college, all with the same group of girls. These friendships and relationships have guided them to new opportunities as they grew up. 

There are many duos that grew up together in sports and brought it to the professional level. Though Serena and Venus Williams are sisters and were brought up in the same household, they are a great example of what this entails. This absolute powerhouse of a duo dominates the tennis court together on occasion and easily work together to create a masterpiece of a game every time. 

Having a friend that plays the same sport as you is a dream come true. You are able to get ready for games, drive, travel, and practice with them, all while adding to the team. These bonds are irreplaceable and critical for good sportsmanship. It is extremely fun to create memories with a teammate and be able to talk about it in future years when the times have passed. 

As long as you are in a sport, always remember how important it is to have these friendships. There is nothing worse than hating the sport because of the people, so always surround yourself with the good and kick the negative.