Wake up. Get ready for school. Eat breakfast. Watch Sportscenter. Receive ESPN phone updates throughout the entire day. Come home only to watch highlights of a college basketball game, read the Sports section of the Kansas City Star to catch up on Chiefs and Royals news, fit in some homework, head to practice and call it a day.

Yeah, I’m a girl and yeah, I like to follow professional and college sports.

I have always been surrounded by sports. I have played basketball, soccer, softball, and swim team in the past and currently I play volleyball. For me, it’s hard to remember not playing a sport. Some of my greatest memories have come from the camaraderie, friendship and leadership I have learned from sports throughout the years. Competing has become my way of life. Playing sports myself, as well as having two brothers, encouraged me to start watching the pros and elite college players. I guess you could say I empathize with other athletes. I know what it’s like to win an amazing game and to experience crushing defeat. There is something about watching the thrilling rivalries and intense battles between individuals and teams that keeps me enthralled.

Just playing sports is not enough. I have to watch more of them everyday, know everything about anything athletic, and talk about them to anyone who will listen. Most of the time these listeners are not STA girls. I know most of you, but not all, don’t really watch SportsCenter or know who is on the Royals roster or care about who won the KU game last night. That’s why I’m giving you a challenge.

My first challenge to STA girls is to go out and participate in a sport. I can tell you from firsthand experience that sports will teach you life skills beyond athleticism. Being on a team forces you to trust your teammates, work together and look past things that make you different. You also learn to deal with disappointment. In reality, not everyone can win every game. We are faced with challenges; sometimes we rise above them, sometimes we cannot. We have to learn to accept what is realistic and celebrate the moments when we succeed. It does not even have to be a super competitive team. Play Brookside soccer with your friends, make a CYO basketball team, maybe even organize a badminton tournament.

My second challenge is to slowly start paying attention to a professional or college sport or two, pick a team or player to follow, and watch what happens. The first step for some of you may be learning what basketball actually is and that it involves dribbling a ball down a court. I want you to take a break from The Bachelor and watch some real-life competition. After you do this, who knows, maybe that competitive fire in you will come out.