I don’t like playing sports.

I get no satisfaction from passing a ball around or swinging a bat or sprinting across a field. And no, I’m not kidding.

So going into high school, I was beyond ready to be able to try new activities— especially ones that didn’t mandate sweating and heavy breathing. My eagerness was overshadowed by self consciousness when I was repeatedly asked what sports team I was planning on joining.

It felt like there was a school wide expectation to be an athlete, which caused me to make up excuses as to why I wouldn’t be sporting a Whitman jersey in the fall.

“I was out of town when tryouts started.”

“I didn’t think I would make the team, so I didn’t try out, but maybe next year!”

But really, I’m just not athletic, a fast runner, coordinated or flexible. After trying soccer, lacrosse, basketball, softball, volleyball, tennis, dance and gymnastics was I still expected to pretend to like sports?

It’s ridiculous that I had to feel uncomfortable or judged just for pursuing activities that actually interested me, especially in a school that has so many clubs. But frankly, not joining a sports team was probably one of the best decisions I made at Whitman. I had time to join clubs that tap into my interests and excite and motivate me. If I had continued to force myself onto some sports team, I would have never discovered my passions or learned nearly as much about myself and my personality.

Freshman year I decided to be adventurous. I joined the Whitman debate team where I discovered how much I enjoy public speaking and argumentation. I’ve met some of my best friends and had some of my best memories from being on the team.

When I graduate I know I will have had a fulfilling high school experience because of my choice not to be normal. But the current culture about sports was almost enough to deter me from being adventurous. It is distressing that some students won’t follow their passions because of expectations that exist among classmates, parents and friends.

Just assuming that everyone does a sport benefits no one and only makes people feel isolated. No one should feel uncomfortable or judged for doing something they love. Period.

So in the future, please ask me what extracurricular activities I do, not just what sport team I’m on.

Through my time at Whitman, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I don’t like sports. And I’m perfectly okay with that.

You should be too.