Column by Carly Grenfell
As reality sets in that another season has come to a close, I can’t help but get anxious for post-season to begin. Our team went home for spring break to enjoy a little rest and relaxation before we begin our 2014-15 season.
It is crazy to think that we really only get a few weeks off out of the year. We get time right after season ends, after finals before summer workouts and a couple days for Christmas. We have all been told, “Well, that stinks!” or asked, “how do you do it?” In three steps, I will explain how we do it and why, in fact, it does not stink at all.
1) We committed four years of our lives to something we knew wouldn’t be easy.
2) We are doing something only one percent of people get the chance to do.
3) It is about more than us — it is about each other and Drake University.
It is easy to get caught up in what many see as “drawbacks” of being a college athlete.
But let me tell you that the rewards are far greater than the sacrifices we make. Is it hard at times? Yes. Do we miss out on time with our families over the holidays? Yes. Do we get emotionally fatigued? Yes. Even with that in mind — the last thing we expect is sympathy.
We all came to Drake because of our willingness to make these sacrifices. We all came to Drake because we knew what a special place it was, and the direction our program was and is headed.
We all came to Drake because we fell in love with it from the day we stepped foot on campus. And to this day, we feel the exact same way as we did then.
You learn, through all the trials and tribulations, through all the wins and losses and through all the mistakes and lessons learned, that being a college athlete has so much to offer.
The experiences you get, the memories you make and the relationships you build are by and large the things we will remember most.
Everything else is just background music. It’s there —and it shapes the experience –— but nothing more than that. When we are old and gray, I guarantee these four years will be considered some of the best times of our lives.
Though some may never be able to relate, we know why we do it. It is the big picture that matters most.
Grenfell is a senior public relations and management double major and can be reached at carly.grenfell@drake.edu
