Bradley Tyer Jones, Sports Editor
The student-athlete population at Sewanee is unique, with over 30% of the student body involved in athletics. Sewanee athletics is such a tight-knit community that places each sport into their own family. That’s why it’s difficult when athletes find it best not to continue with their sports. They simply do not want to upset anyone by leaving. But, sometimes it’s okay to let go, and here’s a couple of reasons why:
Brooks O’Donnell (C ’26) decided to leave the soccer team the summer after sophomore year. Facing hip labrum surgery, O’Donnell realized that pushing herself while in recovery would not be best. In her interview with The Sewanee Purple, she shared that her coach expected her to leave the sport and had told her that her health after playing collegiate-level soccer is more important than playing through excruciating pain. Because of the love and support of her coach and teammates, O’Donnell decided to re-enter the soccer program while serving as manager. She appreciated this new role she was able to incorporate in her life. She clearly followed her own advice she later shared to “do what’s best for you and not let others influence your decisions.”
Going into college, Emma Kate Temple (C ’25) was not super excited about running cross country. So, she made the decision to leave the team. She wanted to have more time on her hands and, although she was sad to no longer be an athlete, she was happy with her decision. She said that there is still importance in being resilient when something becomes challenging, but only to a certain extent. “Stick with it unless it’s affecting your grades, mental health or other activities/clubs that you care about more,” Temple said. “Don’t worry about relationships you built through the sport, they won’t change much if they’re genuine.”
Dottie Ferreira (C ’25) held a different view on what leaving a sport means. Ferreira had stuck with swimming for a couple of years before ultimately deciding it was best to leave during her junior year. She jokingly said that when people begin debating whether or not to stay on a sports team, they should “test the waters.” Swim pun aside, Ferreira said that it truly is a simple decision when you look at it broadly. She ultimately suggested that anyone debating leaving a sport should ask themselves this question: “If you left the sport, would you be more sad or happy?” More times than not, in her view, the answer to that simple question has correlated with the decision people make.
Eliza Dieck (C ’26) is a former tennis player who decided she would lean more on the “happy” side by choosing what’s best for herself. She played tennis for the first two years but quit after coming back from abroad. “I have played for as long as I can remember, and was seeking to explore new passions during my final semesters here. Sewanee is so unique and full of tradition. I wanted more time to experience that!” Since leaving, she has joined The Sewanee Purple, works for Lunch, and will be a member of the Honor Council next semester.
There are some athletes who had a more difficult time on their teams– they decided to remain anonymous when sharing the truth behind the mental grind playing a sport here can be. Some have lost the passion for their sport, some have dealt with mental health issues, some have not felt a connection with their teammates, or even support from their own coach. That’s a difficult thing to deal with, considering the time playing a sport in college demands from athletes.
Some took breaks from their sport to see what life was like outside of athletics. During this break, they either missed the sport, or grew to love their time away.
Those who left sports at Sewanee have faced the negativity behind the idea of “quitting.” Some have been called NARPS (Non-Athletic Regular Person), while others have dealt with the mental battle of whether or not they gave up on the sport, or the team, too easily. Ultimately, leaving a sport is not an easy decision for most. So, it is not easy to find ways to fill that void. But, that new challenge makes it all worth-while. As one athlete anonymously mentioned, “Figuring out what I like was important to me, and I’m having fun exploring.”