Athletics are an essential part of many students’ lives. At Green Level, in fall sports alone, there are more than 200 student-athletes. Many more join the ranks in the winter and spring seasons. Athletes spend hours in the weight room and even more on the field and court, but what makes them do it? To answer this question we asked some of our student-athletes what drives them to put in the time, effort, and commitment required to be on a sports team.

Charles Oates is a member of the Green Level Junior Varsity (JV) football team, and he plans to try out for the  Green Level Basketball program. When asked what inspired him to start playing a sport, Oates told us, “I was a natural basketball player, and football just seemed like a fun challenge.” Oates has played football for three years and basketball for 11 years. When asked if he would ever quit Oates said, “I have put in too much time and effort to this point and quitting would be throwing all of that away.” 

Cameron Chatmon is also a member of the Green Level JV football team. When asked the same question, he told us, “I started playing football so that I would have something to do in the fall instead of just being lazy.” Chatmon has played football for 10 years. Even though he has persisted with football for so long, he told us that there were times when he did feel like quitting. He described one specific time during his freshman season (at another school). “We were having a really bad season, and the lack of a good team culture made the season feel like a drag,” However, he stayed with the team because of his love of the game. 

Both student-athletes told us that when they step onto the field or court it feels like everything has faded away, and now it’s just them, their team, and the sport. They also both agreed that playing a sport is a great way to release energy that builds up during a primarily sedentary school day. Despite the mental and physical stress that can come with playing sports, there are many more benefits including making friends, having fun, and acquiring essential life skills.