<p>Has anyone quit a sport that they've dedicated a LOT of time and energy to?</p>
<p>I'm a jr this year and I've been swimming year round since I was 8 yrs old. I used to be very good, top 5 in at competitive state in 3-4 events, but for some reason I have gotten worse and I'm not that good anymore.
I have some issues with my club coach, such as he is now enforcing a ridiculous practice attendance requirement that he originally told us he would not do. I spend 21+ hrs a week at practice, in addition to running varsity XC in the fall, swimming for my HS in the winter, and playing softball in the spring. This is a big time commitment and it has affected my academics, but up until now I thought it was worth it.
I broke my foot a few months ago and recently broke my finger really badly (into 6 pieces), forcing me to stop swimming for a while. Besides the fact that my coach was thoroughly unsympathetic, I realized that when I didn't have to swim, I did not miss it at all. Also I don't plan on swimming in college.</p>
<p>So basically my question is, what are your thoughts on my situation? I don't find swimming all that fun anymore, many of my good friends on my swim team were seniors so they're graduating, and there are not very many people in our group (the highest level on the team) left bc a lot of other people left too. I know I shouldn't care what colleges think, but I'm afraid they'll think I'm a quitter or something and it will have a big negative effect on my application. I'm also afraid of regretting my decision, as I've been doing it for so long and I've sacrificed many things for it.</p>
<p>Sorry this was long, I just had to get my thoughts out</p>
<p>No; who cares if you quit one sport when you have two more in which you are a current participant and both which you like? Besides, academics beats sports any day, and no sport is worth maintaining a level of commitment that is so great that it affects your academics. Finally, you have issues with a coach, which is another reason to get off; he may decide to boot you anyway over personal issues. You might as well enjoy your time doing what you want to do (the other sports) and screw the one that is killing you for no reason.</p>
<p>I did this last year. I've been playing tennis all my life. Varsity singles, all that. I quit after my junior year because i was more into ballet and i was having conflicts with my coach and i just wasn't liking it anymore. </p>
<p>I was so much happier my senior year because of that. I didn't miss it at all. </p>
<p>It sounds like you've already made your decision. I say quit. </p>
<p>Just a warning though, i have no idea what effect this had on my college app, considering i didn't get into my first 5 choices.</p>
<p>My coach is sortof unreasonable. His reply to my not being able to come to a practice or two is "well then why don't you move down [to a lower level group]?" I really don't want to move down to the next group because many of the kids are extremely annoying, I wouldn't be with my friends, I'd still have the same coach, and it just wouldn't be worth it.</p>
<p>Well, just bloody leave...he sounds overzealous anyway. Are you a major piece of the team (i.e. a major contributor to its win column in heats)?</p>