I am currently stuck between two options with my path for senior year. So I have played football for my 3 year career at my high school. With that said, freshman year was the most fun out of all of them. Now, it seems like the sport is a job and something I do not want to be apart of anymore. Everyday I go to practice and I dread it. Football is fun and all but there’s too much negativity associated with it. I’m currently not even guaranteed a starting position. So whats the point? With that, it is my senior year and should be fun.
On the other hand, my parents want me to work as well. I know with a job I can have a much more positive attitude because I get to apply to places that I like to be around. For example, a ski shop. I love to ski and snowboard so I think that would be a great place for me. Even though the job market is tough, I know I could find a place to work in the summer. Also, I could focus on the robotics part of my life as well. That is something I never want to go away. The organization has given me so much opportunity for fun and creativity.
So for CD, I need some assistance for what I should do? Should I do the thing I don’t like that much but still see my friends on a daily basis or open my life to a new experience?
I have had a very similar problem that you had, only with marching band. I was in marching band for the first 2 years I was in high school, and I loved parts of it, but hated most of it. The negativity associated with competing with other bands made me uncomfortable, and there were lots of conflicts within the band that made me stressed. I’ve had some great friends who were in marching band, though. Then I discovered FIRST, and realized where my true niche was. It was a tough decision to give up marching band, but in the end I still saw my friends every so often and I’ve had a huge burden lifted off of my back. I believe to this day that I have made the correct choice here.
So basically, do what you like to do. If you hate being in football, then don’t be in football. If it’s for your friends, then feel free to keep in touch with them via Facebook and whatnot. Don’t put yourself through something you don’t want to do much for the sake of others.
Also, having a job especially in this economy and this time in your live is extremely important as you are getting ready to prepare yourself for the life ahead of you.
I have a had a situation or two somewhat similar to this. What I have learned to use to guide decisions like this is “Do what makes you happy, and forget everyone who tells you otherwise.” It sounds to me like you aren’t particularly happy with football, and doing something else would make you happy.
As for getting a job, where would you put FIRST on your resume? I list my FIRST experience as work experience and I would encourage you to do the same.
Getting a job would provide you with spending money, and hopefully some savings. However, focusing on your team and FIRST may give you more opportunities to better your team and your community, not to mention the experience you would gain.
If you don’t like football, you don’t have to play it. If you like skiing, a job at a ski shop, especially in winter, would be more enjoyable, and less like work. “Do what you like to do, and you won’t work a day in your life.”
To klrswift, I don’t list FIRST in the jobs portion of my resume. I list it in the projects section, right next to my Aero Design team. It’s a good place to put things like that if you’re going into an engineering field–employers look at that differently than a job.
A coin flip is a wonderful thing. Not because it makes the decision for you, but because when the coin is in the air, you realize what you really want.
i am in the same boat you are in right now… i am torn weather i should stay with playing varsity baseball at my high school or focusing all my time to robotics … i too dread everyday going to practice… i sit in my last period class thinking, oh the day is over, wait, i have baseball practice… the only thing is, i am guaranteed a starting spot, so i don’t want to let the team down… i am still to young to look for a job yet, but i want to focus all of my time to engineering and robotics
Probably one of the best quotes I have ever heard. I know that I am not going to do that because I am kind of making up my mind but that’s a great alternative.
See, I feel obligated as well because I COULD be playing. I just don’t have anymore effort to put towards it because I have been let down every single time. I would rather focus that energy on something else. I’m necessarily giving up on football but opening my options more to my life. With that said, I also have a job/internship/shadowing experience that I can take part in. I think that would be more beneficial then playing football.
Long before you were born, I had the same decision: as a senior, I found that I no longer enjoyed playing football. So, after a week of practice, I decided to quit.
Several team members came up to me asking why. All of them reminded me that I would most certainly get some playing time, since I was a senior, at least enough time to get a letter. I have a feeling it would be the same for you, too.
Talk to the coach, explain what used to be fun and why it’s not anymore. You have some time before season starts. Maybe things will change.
On the other hand, maybe they won’t, but at least you’ll have talked it out with your coach.
I like how we have similar ideas/actions for senior year. The thing is I really want to play but at the same time I don’t. It’s a hate love relationship for me and football haha. Also, I want to focus on getting money for college and entering the work force. I have an engineering mini-internship on hold right now because of my decision. Will football be beneficial for my next ten years? No because I am not playing in college or in the NFL. That’s why I am on the fence.
Although Don, would you go back and play or would you have said you were better off?
Good question, and I have thought about it many times since then (over 30 years ago).
I probably would not play if I was given the choice again. I did play intramural touch football in college, for the fun of the game, but there nobody cared how good you weren’t. Not playing didn’t improve my career outlook, probably as much as playing wouldn’t have improved it either. I’d like to say that instead of football, I devoted my extra time to better grades, but I did not. Should’ve.
I guess the message is that you need to do what’s right for you. Talk it out with someone, just to make sure your thought process is rational when someone else hears it. Doesn’t have to be the coach, but someone who knows you and is trusted to give you honest opinions and not just what you want to hear.
In the big scheme of things, it’s not a life-changing event, but put in some effort to validate the decision, that way you’ll have no regrets.
Did I make the right choice? I still think so, but I’m not 100% sure, never will be.
I hear what you’re saying Don. I know the Pi-oneers are very lucky to have you as a mentor and listen to what students have to say.
With that said, I believe that I am not going to play football and focus on me. That is something I have never completely done before. I have devoted my time to something that I never truly wanted to be apart of in the first place. I am going to stop my football career and take the internship for the enviornmental engineering company. Sure I will miss football but I am apart of one of the greatest sports ever created in human history, FRC.
Thanks to all of you especially Don. One reason why I love the community here, the support you all provide is endless.
Robert,
Congratulations on growing up to be a thinking and responsible individual. It certainly seems like you have covered all the alternatives. Your decision is going to change your life, be prepared. Your friends will change, you may feel different looking at the football field from the stands, you may even take some heat from the team. My best advice is whatever your choice, do your best. Know that some things are hard but it is the hard that makes them great. (OK I am borrowing movie lines here.) If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. Good luck in the future with the internship and college. I can’t wait to hear back in a few years that you have succeeded and moved into something really special. There is a lot ahead of you but you seem like you are on the right trail. Good Luck!
It still seems like you are torn on this decision. You will miss football, but you never truly wanted to be a part of it in the first place.
What part of it will you miss? Is it the camaraderie? Is it the contact (blocking, tackling, etc.)? Is it the pressure-filled game situation?
The reason I ask is this:
Football is a very unique sport. You will never have this chance again, to play football in a full-contact, team setting. Never will you be able to run full speed at another guy, drive him back 10 feet, put him on his butt, and then offer your hand to him to pick him up. Never will you be able to grab a ball, lower your shoulder and run completely through another guy, knocking him down as people cheer. Football is a strange thing, where people do things (safely, for the most part) on a playing field while others would be jailed for these same actions.
This is your senior year. Unless you would seek out a small college or a semi-pro team, this is your last chance to do this.
So, it all depends on why you like (or liked) football. That is why I asked what you would miss above.
I played football in high school and college, and even started during my junior year in college. For my senior year, I decided to study in England during the fall semester instead of playing football. My priorities changed and I chose not to play (our coach was an idiot, which did not help the situation). After college, I played two years of semi-pro football, until I realized that this is silly and I needed to grow up.
You need to consider that this will be your last chance to play this sort of football. You will have the rest of your live to pursue other things, including internships and opportunities to advance your technical prowess.
Go back to Don’s suggestion regarding talking to someone about this. Maybe one of the assistant coaches or someone related to the team in a support function would be a good person to talk to. Of course, if you talk to the head coach, that would be a good thing to do.
Best of luck with your decision. If you don’t play, that may be a good decision, but I just wanted to bring some other things to light.
The only advice I have for you is to make up your mind before the season starts. If you decide not to play football and instead to find a job then no one (your coaches included) will have a problem with that. However if you put off the decision and get to the point where coaches and team mates are counting on you during the season then you put your self in a tough place, even if your heart is not in it people are counting on you.
I am not necessarily torn on the decision, I am weighing the options and have both at a really close level. If any of you didn’t know already, I was offered an engineering job where my mom is going to work in June. I forgot to mention that awhile back. I think that might make your decisions a little bit different.
Just an update though, I am currently talking to my coaches about it. One assistant coach, who deems me as his favorite, said that I should go forth with it because it will help me so much more in my life. He also stated the coaching staff would agree with him completely. Then, he stated that I could definitely help the team out with Friday nights and be in the atmosphere. I am still choosing on my decision but know that he wanted me to take the engineering job .
