Although there are many seasonal sports to choose from at Ned High, a small town like Nederland may not provide the sport that’s meant for you. This is why many people end up finding their sport elsewhere. Whether it be a club soccer team in Boulder or a hockey team in Denver, many dedicate their time and energy not only to the physical demands of the sport but also to the commute there.

I myself am on an artistic swimming club team that holds practices in Broomfield. The drive down may take anywhere from one to two hours, depending on traffic. After a while you begin to memorize traffic patterns, which days you can easily cruise down Highway 36, and which days you know you need to make an extra long playlist to keep yourself entertained while standing still in traffic. Although the gas expense may shock some, it’s all worth it in the end because you get to be part of an amazing community you were able to find outside the small town you’ve been living in.

After being on two other artistic swimming teams, finding the Trident Artistic swimming team feels like a relief. Although it’s farther in distance, it’s close to my heart. Being on this team keeps my stress low, unless we have a competition in a week. Being on this team makes me feel loved and appreciated. I feel very lucky to be able to be part of this team. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t tolerate an environment with people who don’t appreciate you for who you are, even if that means changing teams in the middle of the year.

Being a part of a club team also means being a student athlete. The seasons are usually year round, getting maybe just a few weeks off in the summer. Balancing it with school can be tough sometimes. However, if you love what you’re doing, you’ll find a way to make it work. Plus, it’s impressive to colleges when they know that you were able to balance a 20 hour (plus the commute) sports schedule with four AP classes and pass all of them.

Because this team has brought so much value and love into my life I don’t even count the long drives and late nights staying up doing homework as negatives. Although, sometimes I do end up needing a day off because of the exhaustion that comes with the schedule and the physical activity. But I’ve never given up on it, not since I started seven years ago.

People will drive any distance and do all the makeup work to pass a class at school to be able to do what they love. That’s why I’ve stuck with this sport. Just something about it brings me joy. Knowing that I’m good at doing what I do makes me want to keep going, even when we have three-hour practices four days a week. It’s a great feeling when you know you’ve found what you love.