Many factors go into deciding to pursue a sport. There is of course the physical capability as in if you are able to do it, but there is also the mental awareness and need to be fully zoned into what you are doing. Sadly, the lack of both of these factors influenced my decision to quit my sport…gymnastics.

I started gymnastics when I was seven years old, only to fall in love with it right away. I was heavily influenced by all of my coaches and teammates to work harder and be the best that I could, while still having fun. After many years of classes and two years of competing for a club team, my parents let me try out for the LHS gymnastics team in seventh grade. Although the atmosphere was very different from the club, I fell even more in love with the sport and truly had a great time.

LHS gymnastics to me was more than just a team, it was a sisterhood. I met the most amazing people and had some of the best memories of my life while a part of the team, and it still has a special place in my heart. The bonds I shared with the other girls were better than I ever imagined and I quickly realized that they were the most caring and genuine people I had ever met. For those girls, I would go back to gymnastics in a heartbeat if I still had the same feelings towards the sport that I used to.

However, my freshman year was not my strong point. After having my best year in eighth grade, I was going through some tough times. My body didn’t seem to have the same energy it had for many years before. I was constantly battling with my physical and mental toughness to finish routines and perfect them. With the huge amount of pressure and anxiety I had before each meet, I was not doing my best and I did not know how to help it. 

At the beginning of the season, I had thought that maybe I was just growing and my alignment was off. This was true and when it happens, it can completely change your momentum and center of skills such as back handsprings on beam. However, as I continuously worked to improve these skills, I realized that I still didn’t feel satisfied with where I was. Simple workouts were getting harder to complete, basic skills were getting tougher to perfect, and worse, my motivation to be better was completely dropping. 

Towards the end of the season, I began to feel really frustrated with myself mentally and physically. Mentally I was drained. Drained from the anxiety and pressure, the doubt and from the concentration. Physically I was also drained. Drained from the daily two-hour practices, drained from routines after routines after routines and even drained from lifting a leg to do a turn. The sport had been too much on my body and I no longer enjoyed it. After leaving practices crying and feeling disconnected from the sport, I could not take it any longer. I finished the season and even practiced in the offseason but as soon as it came around again, I made the decision to quit the team. I remember feeling very uncertain about my decision because I really cherished all the memories made with the girls. But now, I know that I did it for a good reason.

To this day, there is still a bit of regret that spirals through me for quitting and I still feel embarrassed when I say I did. I feel that the whole world sees a sport as something you need to push through no matter what. That even if you don’t see results now, you will see them soon, that you can not just quit because something is too hard. And I agree. I just know that this was not something I could have just “pushed through.” I needed a break. I realized that the sport was not worth endless tears and little injuries all year long. My best judgment put me where I am today, and I am happy with where I am. Altogether, I realized the importance of putting your mental and physical struggles before anything else, and I live by that now.