The Return of Sports

 By Lauren Worten

Three years ago, Dalat was going to host ACSC (Asian Christian School Conference) for the varsity girls soccer tournament, but our best friend Covid came, which resulted in canceling ACSC,  shops shutting down, and going into lockdown. But now *drumroll* sports are finally back after three years! It's crazy how we were the last class to have experienced being on an actual sports team. Now things are getting back to normal despite Covid still existing.

Seeing people putting on their sports gear and going to tryouts was nostalgic. Hearing the students laugh, people working hard, and people running out of the gym to fill up their water bottles brings back memories of what Dalat was like before Covid happened. These small things bring smiles to all our faces.

 I remember trying out for Varsity soccer in 8th grade, and I looked up to many of the seniors. They were my role models, and I learned a lot from them. They taught me to stand my ground, not give up when I’m tired, and to be a team player. Now, it's crazy that I am the older one, that I am the senior!

Walking to the upper field with my day one soccer teammates brought happiness, and Joycelyn Fung (12) expressed her feelings by saying, "It feels strange going from a freshman to a senior in sports." And it is peculiar for me to think that this is my last year playing sports with these amazing people. I always thought I would stay young forever, but obviously, that's not the case. Time moves on, and we grow up.

The first things we did in practice was a 10-minute run, push-ups, sit-ups, juggling, and passing drills. At first, it was very tiring because I and many others were not used to playing on the upper field. We then went into practicing headers, and I heard Nicole Khor (12) shout, "Headers give me headaches." I concurred because my forehead was pounding after we finished that drill.

Finally, being back on the Dalat soccer team brought me joy. We are a community and a group of girls that cheer each other on during hard times, good times, if we win or if we lose. Having this kind of community makes me optimistic about the future of Dalat sports and what it might be without Covid getting in the way.

I look forward to the future of the girl's soccer team. Feeling the exhilaration of sports finally returning makes me always look forward to something.