Competitive sports are a sacrifice.

Leaving practice with ice on every muscle possible, imagining the pain tomorrow will bring. A cold shower to give me a burst of energy to make it through the last hours of the day. In the end, nothing feels better than laying in a nice warm bed after a long day.
Getting out of bed on a normal day is hard enough, but the morning after a brutal workout makes me appreciate the snooze button more than ever. Getting out of bed– easily the hardest part of the day.
A few muscle cramps on the way down and after what felt like miles my feet are on the floor. Down the stairs and straight to the freezer, I always take out the biggest ice packs I have and relax, ignoring my daily routine. Usually I get in a little nap at the kitchen counter if my mom doesn’t come running asking my plans for the day or how I feel about a short jog before school. The answer to a jog is always the same, but every morning she tries.
After waking up from my freezing nap, I look at the time and I’m already late for class. Most people would learn by now that maybe the nap isn’t such a good idea, but that doesn’t stop me.
I speed walk as fast as I can to put on sweats and brush my teeth. Make up is not a necessity on a day of pain.
Finally after selecting the very last parking spot open at the far end, I start my first dreadful walk to class. The first one is the worst, as it is the longest trek and everyone stares as I try to squeeze through desks getting to my own. Usually in the front row due to my horrible sight, losing my glasses and forgetting to tell my parents.
I take regular naps if I can get away with it. No matter how badly I want a snooze button, the class bell forces me to take another walk to my next class.
By around fourth period, my walk turns into more of a waddle, and people constantly ask if I am okay.
Getting a few stretches in before class is a necessity but avoiding weird stares and people asking questions is the hard part.
The final bell of seventh period never sounds better, I waddle to my car thinking about eating some chocolate, catching up on t.v. shows and just relaxing.
Opening the door to my car, I’m brought back down from heaven. My cleats sit in the passenger seat staring me in the face.
Chocolate and t.v. right after school is not the path many of us have chosen. Someone like me has chosen the path of waddling, changing in the car, and doing it all over again the next day.