Ok, so today we had our first track and field practice. This is my first time ever doing something like this, but as far as I can tell, today was an absolute disaster and I’m dreading having to go to practice tomorrow. However, my friends say that having a sport on your college resume is a big bonus. Therefore, I have no idea if I should bear through it all season (which may end up helping my college app) or quit in a couple of weeks if I still dislike it.
If one of you could give me any advice on what to do, it would be greatly appreciated.
Give it time. You can’t judge it fairly after one practice. Sometimes the greatest accomplishments and personal growth come from getting through things you first struggle at.
“At various points, in big ways and small, we get knocked down. If we stay down, grit loses. If we get up, grit prevails.”
Your teen-aged friends, who have yet to go through the admissions process themselves, should not be viewed as the font of all knowledge. In this case, they are wrong. Unless you are a recruited athlete, a sport is no better than any other EC.
Having said that, I agree, you really should give it a fair shot before making a decision; one practice is not sufficient.
I should have added that I agree having a sport is not necessary for a college application and don’t take that advise from your friends. In the end it is just another EC.
But I still feel there is a lot to be gained in terms of personal growth from sticking something out and not quitting. Even if in the end track is not your thing, and you don’t come back next season, try to get through the commitment you made. What i like about track is there is a lot of personal goal setting in it. You will see your times drop throughout the season.
Don’t be gullible and believe your friends know about college admissions. Things like this, they’re just making up or passing along some of those lunchroom rumors.
Have they also given you yarns like “colleges like to see students that volunteer and give back”, “joining lots of clubs show you have a variety of interests, and colleges like that”, “take the easier classes so you have a high gpa” ?
If you want to know more about how college admissions works there are lots of books on the topic. One I recommend is “Admission Matters”.
If you have never run before, and you had little guidance, I would guess your practice went something like this–ran somewhat hard briefly, died and watched everyone who has experience keep going, realized there was no way you could keep up, got discouraged. You probably felt a bit nauseous too. Right? If you have never run before, it takes at least a few weeks to get in shape.
You probably have no idea if you are suited for distance or sprinting. Sprinters can’t fathom how distance runners seem go to on forever; distance runners are in awe of sprinters’ speed. Or maybe you can try jumping or throwing? Hurdles? The nice thing about T&F is there are many different skills that can be utilized.
Give it a few weeks. Track kids are known for being a supportive bunch. Experienced kids can help you. And most of the time, you are really only competing against yourself, not others.
@eastcoast101 has it exactly: if you’re not sure what you’re best suited for you’ll spend the first month or two trying things out. Middle school and high school coaches do a lot of shuffling around every spring trying to find where people are most comfortable or most effective. Last year my 8th grade DD and a few of her pals ended up running with the varsity at their small school, but it took varying amounts of time to find the right event for each of them. One ended up going from sprints to mid-distance last spring to cross country and distance events as a ninth grader. My DD found a good home in the 400m after a couple uninspiring months in the short sprints. Give it time, stay in communication with your coaches about how it’s going and have some fun with your teammates.
Thank you! I tried sprinting yesterday, but hated it. Distance was hard too, but I like it much better than sprinting. I still haven’t tried any hurdles, jumps, or throws though…