A couple days before Thanksgiving, I got together with a few of my old high school classmates.  Inevitably the conversation goes to remember what happened after this game?  Or can you name all the team members from a certain year?

That’s when it hit me.  The real reason why you should play sports.  Yes, you love playing and the competition, but what’s even more special are the MEMORIES you have from those sporting events.

Of course while you are playing the sports, it isn’t that big of a deal.  It is when that time has passed and you are long done playing, that is when you realize how cool those memories are.

That is probably one of the biggest reasons you get your kids into sports.  At least that was for me.  Yes, I am heavily involved with athletes and would love to see my daughter be a great athlete.  But, it was more so she could develop her own special memories of sports the way I have.  I want her to have the same positive experience that I did.

My father and his friends are in their 70’s and they still talk about those old high school football days.  I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the stories of their football team being camp counselors at a camp their high school football coach was in charge of and putting them through different forms of conditioning before the daily activities started.

Most of my good friends from high school were some of my teammates on the various teams I played on.  My buddy Billy and I still talk about when we were 11 or 12 and were the double play combination on our local rec baseball team.

We had this moron coach who one day had the bright idea to hit grounders at us as hard as he could.  If we could field his balls, we could field the wimpy 12 year-olds hitting grounders.  Needless to say, after that day of fielding grounders on that rocky infield I made the decision to be a track man.

I’ve listened to my fair share of professional ball players and when asked the question what they miss most about the game.  They almost all say, “I miss being with my teammates and the camaraderie.”

That camaraderie is a big part of all the memories you have from playing sports.  You all went through the same type of he!! together and formed a bond that is probably lasting a lifetime.  Then if you have some success in your sports, that is something even more special that you will share forever.

Sometimes, I wonder if the athletes of today are making those memories?  Are they taking time to have fun with what they are doing or is it too focused on winning at all costs and getting the colleges to look at you?

With the rise in travel sports, sometimes I wonder if the memories for these athletes will be, “We traveled to another city 4 hours away, played three games over the weekend, then came home.  Repeat next week.”

Sounds like an awesome memory.

My brother once told me that his senior year in basketball was probably one of his most fun years.  The reason was that his friends were on the team, the troublemakers from the year before were gone, and they tried as hard as they could to win.

They didn’t have that great of a record, but they were doing it together and would have each other’s backs.

You don’t know what will make for a good memory.  I find it interesting the same memories that pop in my mind when I think back on my playing days.  I was also fortunate enough to play with other good athletes and on good teams.  We had success.

I was as competitive as the next person and wanted to win.  And win bad!  But, I had fun.  I hope your athletes are having fun and know this.  Only one person or one team can win it all each year.  Everyone else will have lost.

So only a few can have that one championship memory, but that doesn’t mean your memories can’t be awesome.  Hopefully, your own athletic career will be fun and inspire memories that you will reflect on long past your playing days being done.