Samo Athletics' biggest deterrent is itself

For ten years I spent every weekend and weeknight on the soccer field, and I’m not talking about recreational programs like AYSO. I was committed to the sport, playing on a competitive club soccer team in a premier league since 4th grade. “Sorry I have practice” was my catchphrase and my hair was permanently in a ponytail; I was in love with the sport. This is where the discrepancy lies though, because now as a senior in high school, the last time I stepped on a field with my laced up cleats was 18 months ago. So how did my life’s passion drastically change from a die-hard soccer player to the antithesis of that? The summer before freshman year, I was a bright-eyed 14-year-old ecstatic to further her soccer career on the Samo team. I had no clue that just two years laters, teary eyed, I would be sending in my letter of resignation. I am not alone in this experience though. Students all across Samo have decided to quit the school team despite a deep-rooted love for their sport. I don’t speak for all student-athletes when I express these sentiments, as many do enjoy their school team, but I am not alone in my opinion. I have found that high school teams that foster a negative environment have often been the catalyst for students falling out of love with their sport. After conversing with many ex-Samo athletes, the flaws in our programs emerged as consistent across a large number of sports. Although our athletes are expected to perform at a very high level, it is my opinion that the coaches are not held to the same standard. I think one reason for this is that the coaches on campus double as teachers. While it’s true that many Samo staff members are both great coaches and teachers, that balance is not always present. In some cases, it is almost as if someone’s teaching abilities are not prioritized if they are a good coach and vice versa. This hurts not only the athletes hoping for a high quality of play, but also the students who do not partake on a team. “Sometimes much of our class time is wasted talking about sports, not to mention the favorable treatment is given to the members of my teacher’s team in the class,” a non-athlete in one coach’s class said.  Despite this, there truly is the possibility of having an excellent coach and teacher all in one, and having coaches as an on-campus presence can be a real asset to students. It’s simply not widely there yet. Samo’s priority should be its students, but while this issue is still present both their education and athletics are being compromised. I think other problems lie with the factor of time. It is understood that there is a level of commitment to joining a team, but the students’ time is not always respected. Again, as a caveat, I know that joining a sports team includes the responsibility of practice and games, but as student-athletes (the keyword being student) there has to be a level of respect for our other responsibilities. Especially because most of our coaches are also our teachers, they should understand that. “The coaches at Samo are inconsiderate with the time of their students. My now ex-coach would talk for half an hour every day and then expect everyone to be able to stay for the entirety of our two-hour practices,” another ex-athlete stated. These are students who are wholeheartedly in love with their sport. A debrief of the previous game is one thing, but these long, unrelated conversations are what provoke upset. I had hoped that being apart of a Samo athletics team would be a source of pride in representing my school and the sport that I loved, but I found that it involved anxiety and conflict.  For many of the ex-student-athletes I talked with, team practices became less about our passion and more about the minutes we had left. It wasn’t that being apart of the team made me hate my sport, it was simply that it eliminated the joy I once had when playing it. I recognize that there are still so many kids who are enjoying their time on a high school team, and honestly, I envy them. That said, I hope one day a balance can be found on our teams, but until then, if you are feeling resentment toward your team, I encourage you to quit before you lose all passion for your sport. Join a casual or non-school team instead.  I wouldn’t want you to end up like me, an ex-soccer player who, upon encountering a soccer field, is hit with a wave of desolation.