Contrary to popular belief (even though nobody believes this), I don’t actually know that much about sports. I follow basketball religiously, but outside of that I’m really just a washed up ultimate player. I played just about every sport you could imagine growing up at a mediocre to subpar level, from soccer (shoutout to AYSO), to football, baseball, gymnastics and rock climbing. None of them really clicked though, besides ultimate.

That being said, I don’t regret any of them. Granted, my mom signed me up for every single one without consulting me, but they were each valuable experiences in their own right. I’d like to dedicate this column, then, to the sense of camaraderie, teamwork and character that sports in general create.

Whether you’re a varsity athlete that plans to continue playing in college, a JV all-star, or an intramural try hard, your high school experience was undoubtedly made better by playing sports. Everyone learns something completely different from the sport they play and the level they play it at, and that’s one of the things that makes sports as a whole so great.

As I said earlier, I had never really enjoyed any of the sports I played in my youth. I was used to being at the bottom of the batting order, the sideline of the soccer games and being quietly asked to leave my gymnastics team for being unable to do the splits. It wasn’t until I started playing ultimate that I got the urge to work hard at a sport, get better at it and work my way to the top of the food chain. I’m incredibly thankful that I did too, because it’s taught me so much about believing in my own physical abilities, my work ethic and my ability to lead a team. Just ask anyone that knew me six years ago, and they would tell you I was a short, chubby kid who couldn’t shoot a basketball for the life of him.

And so I urge you all, if you haven’t found your sport, to keep searching. It’s out there. Maybe it’ll come in the most unlikely of forms (a plastic 175 gram disc), but once you find it, it does worlds to your self-motivation and confidence. Maybe it’ll come in the form of intramurals, which is another one of the great things sports offer. There’s nothing better than designing your own jerseys, coming up with a team name and playing some random game on a team with a bunch of your friends and no coach.

A moment of praise for LT: The 2015 Blackout game was arguably the coolest experience of my high school career. Well over 5,000 people were in attendance, everyone drenched in black, the best sixth man any high school basketball team could ask for. And Brendan Swinehart ‘15 made a half court shot. The kid made ESPN. He won a CAR. It truly does not get better than that.

LT sports have also been extremely successful as of recent. In my time here, we won a water polo, swimming and gymnastics state championship. Stephanie Lin ‘15 won the badminton state title three years in a row. Boys soccer won the Pepsi Showdown, twice. That’s an insane amount of accomplishments in such a short time span.

A word to departing seniors: go to as many sporting events in college as you can. Even if you weren’t a Hooligan or a Weirdo, sporting events at colleges are a HUGE deal. For lots of schools, the entire fall semester revolves around football Saturdays. Plus, the sense of unity and school spirit these events build is unparalleled. It’s especially important at big schools. With the sheer number of students that some schools have, it can be difficult in the first few months of your time there to feel a connection with the school and the student body as a whole. What better way to get involved and experience a burning passion for your school than painting your face in their colors and swaying side to side with your classmates?

Playing sports is a special thing, in how it brings people together and can completely alter someone’s personality. That’s one of the reasons why I applied for this sports editing position two years ago when I was just a sophomore. And so I thank you, LT, for four fantastic years of high school and all the sports you have to offer. Thank you to LION, for the past two years and the opportunity to run this glorious three-page section. And thank you to you, my fellow readers, for bearing with me and returning to the sports section for each and every issue. It’s been a pleasure serving you and providing you with all of the happenings in the LT sports world for the past two years, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without all of your hard work and dedication to each of the respective sports you participate in. Thank you, you made my job fun and easy to love.

Sincerely yours,

Bailey Blum

The Sports Empire