Will Sports Ever Be the Same Again?

Will sports ever be the same again? Will fans be allowed to attend events when sports return? When will teammates be able to share a locker room? Will we be able to travel for our preseason tournaments in August? These are questions I have been asking myself for a few weeks now, as we are going into the 5th week of sports being cancelled because of COVID-19; especially since I am a student athlete myself. I am questioning when I will be able to get back on campus with my teammates to train for our season this fall. 

Sports have been such a crucial part of my life. I played a number of different sports throughout my childhood and eventually found my passion in the game of volleyball. I cannot imagine my life without sports, and I know many people would say the same. As I sit and think about a world without sports, I think about all the different things that sports have taught me and continue to teach me about myself and about life. I have learned that I am a lot stronger than I thought I could ever be, relationships top any winning season or moment, and there is never an easy time to think about the end of something so good. 

In times like these, we are forced to slow down and self reflect. This can be really hard because the insecurities and thoughts we normally push deep into the back of our minds are coming to the forefront each day. Because of sports and the amazing role models I have encountered in my athletic journey, I feel somewhat prepared to combat these negative thoughts during this self isolation. In the middle of a tight match when things aren’t going your way, insecurities creep into your mind trying to wreak havoc on your confidence as an athlete, but the mental toughness that you have developed through what you thought were “unbearable” workouts, “unreasonable” coaches, and an “impossible” drill are what have trained you for those moments and life beyond sports, including weeks of quarantine. I know that we are going to get through this uncertain time together and we can still “win the day” even when we are in our homes. 

Another thing I have come to realize is I have made friends that I miss. Upon finding out that this semester was moved fully online, I was devastated and overcome with sadness that I wouldn’t get to see my teammates (that are more like sisters) and play the game that brought us together for months. We have had big moments the two seasons I have been fortunate enough to be with Samford Volleyball. We have won the Southern Conference Championship back to back, beat #24 Arizona, and had the best record in Samford volleyball history, but these are not the moments I miss most when I am quarantined. I miss the laughs in the locker room getting ready for practice, laughing uncontrollably to Step Brothers on the bus, and conversations in the Caf. I knew before COVID-19 how special the relationships I have are, but I have developed a deeper appreciation for the group of people that have become my forever family. 

Lastly, I know that there is never an easy way to say goodbye to the things that have been such a huge part of your life for such a long time. I haven’t had volleyball taken from me for this long since I started playing and it is such a weird feeling. In these circumstances, I can’t help thinking about the time I will put my jersey on for the last time. I don’t ever want to think about it, but it is a reality we face as athletes. Soon, these restrictions will be lifted and we will be able to get back to playing and watching the sports we love and devote so much of our time to. I, among many others I’m sure, will have a new awareness and sense of gratefulness for sports, especially having the opportunity to play one. 

So, will sports ever be the same? I don’t know the answer to that question and neither does anyone else, but I do know that I will never be the same because of sports and I am eternally grateful.