What It's Like Being on a College Team
College sports teams are one of the most fulfilling things any student athlete could be a part of. The joy of being part of a team of other individuals who all share the same love and enjoyment for a sport while also having the will and determination to compete at very high levels is second to none. Here we’re going to dive into what it’s like being a part of a team in college sports.
Two Myths of College Teams
There are a few myths about college sports and they’re mostly related to what people may “think” being on a college team is like. For starters, an unwritten rule is that there are stark differences between a college team and any other team environment outside of it. This is mostly due to the level of competition, which is higher than 99% of other fields, other than in professional sports. For example, you’d find it much more difficult to compare your high school sports team to your college team, purely based on the intensity with which people play against each other.
Another reason is due to the huge importance placed on the team aspect of the competition (which will be covered below). Usually, athletes playing before college sports or in high school will tend to care about their individual performance more than their team’s performance. This may be common sense to American high-schoolers who are already familiar with the competitive landscape seeking to make it to the next level, but for international students, this is important because outside of the U.S. there are no true college sports organizations to compare with.
Another myth that people may not know about is the adoration that you receive as an athlete. We covered in a previous post how being a college athlete gives you a certain measure of clout. While it is true that certain athletes at specific schools may be revered based on extraordinary ability to perform, not only by the student population but by spectators and supporters around the U.S., almost all of the student athletes playing in college are simply not given immense attention. The reality is that most of the credit goes to the team itself rather than the individual, despite the fact that anyone is viewed very positively by being a student athlete. This is why there is such a huge emphasis on the team environment and strong team culture in college sports. The whole mentality behind this idea is that without the wholehearted support of all individuals, the team will only be as strong as its weakest link - which usually tends to be the person who doesn’t feel like contributing to the greater goal.
College Teams are a Family
Now that we’ve shown what it’s like to be an athlete on a collegiate level as part of a team, we’re going to show you the truth behind the team environment of college sports based on our own experience, as well as what the gold standard is.
Firstly, as mentioned in a previous post, there is no other organization quite like team sports in college. The biggest reason is that you are walking into a whole new world already knowing someone. College freshmen usually go into school without any idea of the people they’re going to meet, and (hopefully) an open mind about these people regardless. However they don’t actually expect to have friends from the first day - for athletes though, it's a completely different story.
If you’re a freshman on a sports team, you’re inevitably going to get to know the other freshmen in your class very well since you’re all going through this new life experience at the same time. Once you step onto campus for that first weekend, you already have a group of people that you share a common interest with, and when all the chips are down you’ll all be able to relate to that same common interest no matter what. This is extremely important for those who tend to be more introverted and don’t feel comfortable going out and meeting new people every waking hour.
Next, is being a part of your whole team. Specifically, this includes what it’s like practicing, competing, and living with your teammates on and off the playing field. When you’re in practice, your teammates (especially your captains) will push you harder than you thought you could be pushed, and if you’re not putting in a sufficient amount of effort or paying attention to details, you will be called out plain and simple. This shouldn’t be viewed negatively, but rather it should be taken as a huge positive - it means that there are people around you that care about the group’s success and will not allow individuals to detract from that.
The same applies to competition, but this time it's 10X more intense. Not only will your teammates push you, but they’ll also have your back no matter what happens, even in times of great conflict. This could be anything from being cheered on by your teammates, to being supported both emotionally and physically in any situation by people wearing the same colors as you. For instance, if you get injured - the first people rushing to your side to carry you off the field will be your teammates. If you’re being heckled, mistreated, or otherwise ridiculed - you should know who will be there to keep you stable in the heat of it all. Situations like these not only exist in competition but also in life in general when you’re around the same people. There is a certain aspect of brotherhood and sisterhood that arises from being part of a team and it forges bonds that last a lifetime.
Finally, being part of a team means you have exclusive access to many social opportunities not many other students have - specifically this means connections and networks of alumni both on your team and others within the athletics community of your school. For the student athletes that are not willing to try their hand at professional sports, something like this is extremely useful when looking for opportunities outside of the realm of their sport after college. Even if it has nothing to do with professional development, you never know who’s watching! In any case, you’ll be able to meet new people with varying levels of success in life just by virtue of your sport and this could bring you to places you never thought you could be.
As you can see, there is a huge emphasis on the team aspect of college sports - so if you’re reading this and you’re a person that doesn’t really care for that type of environment, then college sports are definitely not for you. Not to worry though - it’s not necessarily a bad thing. You may be a very driven individual looking to achieve things as a lone wolf; there are just certain things college coaches are looking for when recruiting, and this unselfish, team-oriented quality is definitely one of them.