Five years!

This weekend marks five years to the day since I last played a competitive game in any sport.

Playing one of my sports, New Hampshire (circa 2002)

Although this sounds like the start of a depressing post it really isn't. It seems like more than five years have passed - not because that time has gone slowly - more that I have experienced so much in that time. Since September 30th, 2011 I have garnered two degrees, worked for four different sporting organizations, and lived in four vastly contrasting places.

ETSU men's soccer, 2011

I stopped playing due to injury. It is never an easy transition away from playing and into a non-playing career, but the early end to my life as as athlete truly has been a blessing as it gave me a head start into full-time coaching / sport science. I would probably still be flirting with playing semi-pro sport of some kind otherwise (I really was not good enough to ever truly "make it").

With friends and colleagues at the 2011 NSCA National Conference

No I can't squat 200 kg anymore, nor can I out-sprint or out-strength the opposition like I used to, but hopefully I can help others to do this. One door shuts, and another door opens - I am very lucky to be doing what I am doing and hope to share more of it on this blog in the near future.