A former university student athlete recently made the decision to leave the sport after playing for more than a decade because the love for the sport turned into a burden.
According to the student athlete, the relationship with the coach was generally positive but not with teammates. They often felt valued based on skills rather than the person.
The student athlete’s mental health suffered during the two years on the team, lost the love of the sport, and therefore decided to quit.
According to the student athlete, a meeting with the coaches took place to explain their decision to quit the team. The coach was surprised at their decision, and since leaving, interactions have been brief but polite exchanges.
They also sent a text to the group chat to inform teammates. According to the student athlete, some teammates expressed understanding but others cast blame.
“I felt like I was being blamed for the downfall of the team. Because of me leaving, the team would fail next season,” the student athlete said.
The experience made them reevaluate friendships. According to the student athlete, some teammates stopped communicating and any form of contact.
Although quitting the sport wasn’t easy, the student athlete hopes other athletes know it’s ok to make that choice.
“If quitting the sport means bettering yourself, then you need to do it,” the student athlete said. “I knew that if I stayed on that team any longer, I would have lost myself.”
— Grace Partain is a writer for The Beacon. She is a Mass Communication major graduating in 2027. She is a member of the acrobatics and tumbling team.