Bring it on!

For as long as I can remember, there is one thing that has never changed about me- I am highly competitive. I would say I thrive for competition in the sports realm. I never really got competitive in academics or organization (although my parents wish I would have) and I don't try to keep up with the "Jones'". I love the competition of sports. I love the "game day". It doesn't matter the sport, although I don't enjoy watching all sports I appreciate and can get into any sporting activity. Right now, I feel like I am on competition overload. With the girls' basketball season wrapping up and big games happening combined with the late nights of Olympic competitions- I am in my glory!

So I ask myself- where does this inner athletic competition come from? I was never the best athlete on the teams and I know I didn't work as hard as some of the other players, but still I love participating in all sports. I am willing to try any athletic challenge. In my younger years, I was in swimming, dance, gymnastics, baseball, track, cross country, basketball, tennis, soccer, and golf. I even tried to get on the Middle School football team, but they wouldn't let girls play back then. Obviously I was better at some then others, but I still wanted the competitive venue to participate in. I attempted several music avenues too- piano (8 years), viola, cello, clarinet, and choir. I failed miserably at all of them. Music can be competitive too, but I hated it. WHY?

My brother and I used to go at it on the bball court in our driveway for hours because I so badly wanted to beat him. There were times we were not allowed to play sports against one another because it would end in a huge fight of who was being fair and who won. I am sure my mom went crazy. I would cry for hours and be depressed for days when teams I was on lost or a season ended. (Its kind of insane to think about it). I am happy to say I am much better at handling losses today. Am I addicted to competition or is it just a part of who I am?

There maybe is no answer for why some people crave competitive sports over other competitions. All I know is that right now, I am loving all the sporting competition in my life. I sit and watch the Olympics and dream of being one of the athletes- it must be incredible to be there. I admit too that I find myself wiping tears at the US gold medal ceremonies. I've never been a "champion" but I can imagine it's the best feeling in the world!