You might remember me as the guy you ate orange slices with during the halftime of soccer games in second grade. Or as the kid who kept stats on our little league baseball team. Or maybe even as someone who spent every spring afternoon at track practice. Whatever the case may be, when we graduate and look back on our childhood memories, many of them will revolve around sports.

Whether playing two-hand touch football at recess, chasing each other during Capture-the-Ball, or goofing around during rec basketball practice, one thing is clear: sports have been an integral part of our development during our time in the public school system. They have allowed us to build and foster strong friendships with teammates and have given us the opportunity to see what it feels like to succeed and fail.

Without sports, life in secondary education would be missing one of the things that get me out of bed in the morning. There would be no big trade to discuss with your buddies, no hockey games to attend in the winter, and no strategy to talk about with friends while filling out March Madness brackets. Without sports, high school would have been focused on just that – school.

Sports have taught me many things I need to know to survive in this world. Only through hard work and determination can you achieve success. You can’t win by doing everything on your own. Patience is a virtue – only when you become a senior can you stand in the front of the student section.

Even though some seniors will be travelling to the farthest reaches of the country or the globe next year, they still can kick around a soccer ball or play fantasy football. Sports are a universal way for everyone to express him or herself and enjoy life.

As I prepare to make the biggest transition of my young life, it’s comforting to know that my love for sports will follow me on the long road ahead.