Endless expectations
March 5, 2020
In a 6A high school, backbreaking expectations infiltrate sports culture. While it is an experience passionate student athletes cherish deeply, committing to a high school sport requires a lot of mental strength. On the field, athletes are often expected to put on personas Whether for their own teammates or their coaches, the fast-paced environment is one that forces athletes to refrain from showcasing their emotions on the field and focus on the task at hand: to prosper.
To keep your varsity spot, you have to be consistent and you have to show every day why you deserve it. It’s a lot of proving yourself and [proving your worth] to others. It’s harder to prove your self-worth on the field to yourself than it is to anyone else.
— junior Madeline Brooks
“I feel like there’s an immense amount of expectation put on me and it is crippling,” senior wrestler and football player Luke Halter said. “Especially in wrestling, it got really bad. I wouldn’t sleep the day of a meet and I wouldn’t sleep the night after a meet.”
To meet coaches’ expectations is one thing, but sometimes, the greater challenge lies in meeting their own expectations. Athletes like junior softball player Madeline Brooks recognize there is an additional pressure, as their spot on the team is never truly secured.
“You definitely have a lot to live up to,” Brooks said. “To keep your varsity spot, you have to be consistent and you have to show every day why you deserve it. It’s a lot of proving yourself and [proving your worth] to others. It’s harder to prove your self-worth on the field to yourself than it is to anyone else.”