The Troubled Identity Of An Ex-High School Athlete

A love letter to the old highschool student-athlete

High school was a complete blur of putting on stinky cleats, parents cheering loudly from the stands, and the comfort of having a preset practice schedule. Practically every day was pre-structured by the school district and coaches, the purpose being to be the best student-athlete.

Then, all of a sudden, it’s senior year, and the long-awaited college acceptance letter comes in to promise a new chapter after you graduate high school. Instead of being head over heels for getting into college, you feel a sense of dread. You realized that when you settled into your quiet dorm room at UCSB, you would not be considered the “team captain” or the “all-star.” Suddenly, you’re adrift in a sea of unfamiliar faces, the only roar of the crashing waves outside your shoebox dorm window. 

As humans, we gravitate towards what we are comfortable with; the place in society that we have been told is where we belong, but in college, that all changes. Nobody knows where their place is, and freshman year is where people figure it out. Whether they stick to their molds, being a nerd, an athlete, or the popular kid, or they break away from that version of themselves, that is a struggle everyone faces together.

Childhood athletes find Lifelong Comfort

For many, our childhood was spent on the field or court. But as we transition to college, responsibilities pile up, and the amount of free time begins to rapidly shrink. The impact of the athletic days lingers, allowing a bittersweet transformation of our favorite sport into a coping mechanism.

The reasons sports are often quit are based on injuries, academic pressures, or even a small shift in interests that can lead to hanging up the old high school jersey. Even though the time on the field and/or court disappeared with time, the core aspects that drew us to the sport in the very first place were the thrill of competition, the satisfaction of teamwork, and the meditative focus on having a preset schedule that helped plan each day. It all remains.

With the transitional stress creeping in (like moving into your dorm or being afraid to leave home), these memories act as a mental refuge. We often visualize ourselves winning a game via a winning shot or a walk-off home run, which can be surprisingly calming for the brain. Sports are a form of mindfulness, allowing you to go back to a much simpler time when competition was all about having fun with your teammates rather than having to focus on deadlines and working long hours.

finding mindfulness within The Beachside Unknown 

Moreover, the physical exertion that develops within our identities while playing sports translates to a meaningful kind of stress relief. Even though we can no longer lace up our cleats and hit the neighborhood fields, watching professional sports on television has been proven to produce a similar physiological response. The same feeling of your heart pounding in your chest, that adrenaline rush during a very close call, or the joy within the fan base when the team you root for wins. All of these emotions reflect the sense of having a powerful stress-relieving effect similar to the one you may have felt back in high school.

This experience is not just about reliving your glory days when you were a part of a community back in your hometown. Like waves coming and going, it is about harnessing the positive reactions and experiences that are associated with sports and how to use the many lessons from practices and games to navigate through adulthood. By using your memories of being on a team or by putting yourself in the world of professional sports, you can tap into a powerful wellspring of comfort and motivation.

on-campus RESOURCES FOR LOST GAUCHOS

It is okay to not have all the answers. And it is okay to feel lost. If you are feeling this way because of the missing hole that sports in high school filled, consider taking classes or joining a team brought to you by the UC Rec Center. This center at UCSB is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and there is a variety of gym equipment, pools, rock climbing, and basketball courts.

Here is a list of classes and club sports that could help you find a better sense of mindfulness and maybe heal your identity:

• Mind and Body: Yoga and Pilates
  • Yoga and Pilate Classes:
    • Details include:
      • Selecting how many classes you want 
      • The price ranges from 60 to 150 dollars 
      • You select what time and day you want to attend 
      • Must bring own yoga mat to class
        • Especially if you do Yoga and Pilates (Mat)
• Fitness: Women and Weights 
  • This class is perfect if you want to find a starting place to get back into condition as you did in high school and or to boost your inner confidence 
  • Introduction to Weights
    • Details Include
      • Selecting how many class(es) you want 
      • The price ranges from 60 to 84 dollars 
      • You select what time and day you want to attend
  • Sidenote: there are three different categories to choose from depending on difficulty level: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced 
• Club Sports: 
  • If you experienced Travel Ball and or Club while growing up, then you are familiar with the way this team is set up! Sometimes your sports journey is never over, you just need new scenery! 
  • Women’s Club Sports Available:
    • Lacrosse 
    • Rowing 
    • Rugby  
    • Soccer 
    • Ultimate Frisbee  
    • Volleyball   
    • Water Polo  
• Other UCSB Unique Sports: 
  • Olympic Weightlifting
    • Details Include
      • Selecting how many class(es) you want 
      • The price ranges from 80 to 112 dollars 
      • You select what time and day you want to attend
      • If you are interested in class: you must have prior experience of this type of weight lifting! 
  • Pickleball:
    • Learning The Game of PB
      • Details Include
        • Selecting how many class(es) you want 
        • The price ranges from 60 to 94 dollars 
        • You select what time and day(s) you want to attend
  • Sailing
    • Learn To Sail (Beginner)
      • Details Include
        • Selecting how many class(es) you want 
        • The price ranges from 65 to 190 dollars 
        • You select what time and day you want to attend
  • Tennis
    • Beginner
      • Details Include
        • Selecting how many class(es) you want 
        • The price ranges from 80 to 112 dollars 
        • You select what time and day you want to attend 
        • Note: Bring Your Tennis Racket!

We Gaucho Back!

Taylor Swift once said: “It’s your freshman year and you’re gonna be here for the next four years in this town.”

She’s right. Becoming a UCSB Gaucho is the gateway to experiencing all different types of explorations towards your identity. Your freshman year is curated to be filled with getting out of your comfort zone and being able to try new things to overcome the missing piece of losing sports. You are meant to be here! Be proud of yourself through this journey of transition!

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