A note to all rookies
My 7th grade year I was terrified, absolutely horrified. I was such a scrawny, un-athletic kid too afraid of making a mock of myself to try at sports. I played a year of little league baseball prior to joining track and only got two hits the whole year, yikes. Little twelve year old me needed something new from that horendous season, soooooo I made the odd choice of signing up for track?? I could barley run our 5 minute jog in gym yet I had the nerve to write my name on that sheet.
Although, as mostly everybody says, that "odd" choice to sign up was the best choice I have ever made and will be for my whole life.
I can still remember showing up that first day, we only had 4 boys on the whole team and only three of us made regular appearances. Thankfully, I was good friends with one of them and became friends with the other, Zak's older brother was a runner so he was around that kind of stuff all the time (Shoutout to my boy Zak if you read this). I think we played gym games instead of practice the first day which was nice, until the athletics part arrived. God I still remember taking basically and aptitude test during it and having to hang in the pull-up position as long as I could, pretty sure I didn't surpass 30 seconds. Fast forward through that whole year though and I somehow survived!
Weird stuff bro but that was pretty much the same as the past year so let's skip right on over to freshman year!! Now instead of being a scared, scrawny, 7th grader I was now a scared, slightly less but still scrawny, 9th grader, How delightful! As
Much as I tried to act like it was no big deal, all I could imagine is living up to the stereotypes of freshman being basically the lowest of low and unwanted.
Wow I was in for the surprise of my life, I didn't become some unwanted scum, I became part of a family. I was treated with respect and my teammates actually cared about me and my times! Freshman year was the best year ever,
1. High school!
2. New friends!
3. Enjoyable sports!
Just one year has passed and I should probably be getting to the point and mentioning that I am not some "elite" runner or outstanding senior captain, as much as I'd like to be both of those things I'm only a sophomore ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, but a sophomore with the best teammates/family anyone could ask for.
Don't be afraid of us like I was, and please please please do not be shy, get to know other people and be outgoing, me being outgoing and wanting to try and achieve something was what got me where I am and I will ALWAYS be grateful that I had the nerve to write my name on that paper.
- @davey_pillow ( David Pillo )
