Ways to create relationships with teammates

To many people, a sport is a way to create relationships with teammates or make their parentsproud,butforme, itistherapy.Athleticsareanoutletandawaytodistanceme from my life at home. My issues regarding my family and the feeling of having a split life are something that has always contributed to the decline of my mental health. To me, speaking about a split lifesignifiesthefeelingoflivingtwoseparatelives,butthesportoftennischanged that for the better. Everyone has that one activity in their lives that temporarily allows them to escape reality. How you want to approach your future is entirely up to you.
The quandary I have between my stepfather and my biological father is an emotional rollercoaster I experience daily. The pressure to “pick” between my dads causes personalconflictbecause mybiologicaldadgavemelife, andmystepdad raised me.Talking about my biological father and stepfather, I am seen as “fortunate” for having twice the guidance. Still, in all actuality, my only role model is my mother, who plays both roles. She has been let down by every man in her life, except for me, who will support her with everything she does. Considering neither of us had a male role model growing up, we used other factors to fill the void. Her sheer drive and resilience have driven me to become the person I am and the individual I want to become.
The lessons I learned from everything I experienced have made me turn the negatives into positives.Apositive factor in my life and one of my main sources of happiness is tennis.To me, tennis is a sport that makes me forget about everything around me. When you enjoy somethingso much, you lose track of time and feel like you could do it for days straight.The sport allows me to enjoy gaining knowledge and makes me hungry for more. Seeing the growth as the years go on represents all the hard work I put into the sport.Along with tennis and its impactonme,thecoachesIhavebeen likemysecondfamily.Theyarenotonlymymentorsinthe
sportbutinlifeaswell.Theywanttoseemepushmyselftomyfullestpotentialandcontinue to thrive in the sport.
The definition of a student-athlete is someone whoputs all their energy into not only sports but alsoacademics.NotonlydoIpridemyselfonbecomingabettertennisplayer,butIalsowantto maintain good grades. College is when you become better at managing your school work and yourpersonallife, anddoingwellinyourclassesiskey.Whendoingthis, itwillmake other tasks a lot easier.You differentiate from other students because you don’t just focus on your academics but on a passion you have for the sport. People respect you more because you manage your time well and focus on what’s important to you.
Peoplefrownuponothersforputtingalltheirtimeintoasportthey love,butit is second nature foranathlete like me. When you love something so much, you do not look at it as another task for you to complete. Other people are free to have their views, but all that matters is what I believe. The time you invest in something will only make you feel extremely satisfied. Everyone experiences unpleasant times, but it depends on what they choose to do with them.
By converting your shortcomings into strengths, you can improve by discovering your passionandhavingacomfortingenvironment.Asplit lifehasalwayshadadvantages; inmy case, it helped shape who I am.