There is no "I" in Team

The net envelops the bright green ball. The point is over. The game is over. The match is over. Whether a victory or a loss, each tennis match has been a building block of experience. Whether or not you excel in a sport, either scenario has a positive interpretation. If you are good at team sports, you gain leadership and valuable skills, and if you struggle with sports, you learn from your failures and gain determination. As long as you have the willpower to learn and play, it is never too late to pick up a sport. It is something that will physically, mentally and emotionally train you for future trials in life.

Aside from the grueling practices in the rain, high school sports are also an integral part of the college application process. As a member of a sports team, you add a positive component to your college application resume. Just as in any other high school extracurricular activity, a team sport can demonstrate leadership ability. Working as a team gives you the opportunity to prove yourself as a responsible leader as well as a dedicated team player. The various trials in a sport develop determination and perseverance. Through struggles, sports teach you to overcome defeat and learn from past mistakes. The mistakes of losses in competitive sports are a valuable lesson in improving your mental toughness, which can be transferred to many other activities.

While participating in sports provides an important element of balance for the college application, the individual quirks of a sport last for a lifetime. By building a healthy habit of competition, you can learn to handle pressure with calm—a skill widely valued in college and the workplace. Sports bring people together, and as an active participant in high school, you will meet many different people and make new friends. At the same time, you will have fun, exercise your body, and mature on various levels. If you can manage your time wisely in high school and handle a sport, why not seize these benefits?