Winter sport tryouts went down here at FHS last week. The competition for boys’ and girls’ hockey, boys’ and girls’ basketball, swimming, and wrestling was fierce. Even track, where you choose which event you want to participate in (long distance, mid-distance, sprinting, etc.) can have a possibly disappointing outcome, if the coaches decide you’re not right for any particular event. During this time, the field house is absolutely cramped with aspiring athletes.

“It’s so intimidating,” said Leah Benson, regarding her recent experiences in trying out for the freshman basketball team. “I was terrified in there.” While it is good to have so many accomplished athletes trying out for spots on Franklin High’s sports teams, this guarantees that cuts will be made.

So what does it mean to be cut? Well at first, you probably feel like a loser, and living in Franklin, it’s hard not to feel this way, what with everybody you know playing at least one sport.

But is this really true? By not making a team in this sports-obsessed town, are you are you automatically made to be a dweeb? The truth is, no, you’re not. With so many athletic opportunities toFranklin’s youths (Metrowest Basketball, Franklin Youth Soccer, Franklin Youth Baseball/Softball, etc.) the competition is ridiculously high once you get to the high school level, making the chances for not making a team that much higher. It’s not a matter of you lacking skills in a sport, but a matter of there just being too many other people with similar goals in the same position.

So you got cut. You’re feeling sorry for yourself. What can you do to bounce back from this? Do you sit and wallow in your sadness until you become a blob of disappointment and despair? Or do you shake it off, put your sneakers back on, and continue playing the sport you love?

That’s right! You have to buck up, kid! Despite what our parents, fiends, and peers say, sports are not everything. There are so many more important things you could spend your time engaged in. To name a few, there is Community Service Club and Best Buddies, both clubs offered here with an intended purpose of helping the community and the people in it. Other options include Art Club, Drama Club, Mock Trials, and many more.

Also, you could spend more time on homework, or with your family and friends. Maybe you’ll actually have time to take a nap, or actually go to bed at a reasonable hour. The point is, don’t kick yourself too hard for not making a sport. It’s not the end of the world. It may even be a good thing.