A Lifetime of Sports

Sports have been an important part of my life since I could remember. I danced for 17 years, played tennis for 12 years and attempted soccer for a couple years (my parents realized this was not the sport for me when I called the uniform my soccer costume and insisted on wearing a matching ribbon around my pony tail). My mother is from Texas, so I was bred to be a diehard football fan and baseball fan from the start.
For me, the best part of sports is the experience of attending a game and the commitment to a team, whether they win or lose. Being around fans that have the same loyalty to a team is something special. As a player, I enjoyed the comradery of being surrounded by a group of people and working together to achieve the same goal.
Football was definitely a factor in my decision to attend the University of Alabama, but the winning streak is not the only aspect of Alabama football that I love. I was drawn towards the tradition behind the tailgating, lining the Walk of Champions to welcome the team before the start of every home game and being surrounded by thousands of loyal fans in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
After graduating and moving to Phoenix, I did feel some sadness leaving all of that behind. However, did you know that there are still hundreds of Crimson Tide fans and alumni here in Phoenix? I sure didn’t, but was very thrilled to learn about this. I have also become an Arizona Diamondbacks fan, and attended my first ever NFL football game this past weekend to cheer on the Arizona Cardinals.
Phoenix is a city lucky enough to have college teams, an NFL team, MLB team, NBA team, NHL team, and host MLB spring training. I have made many connections and have had many amazing experiences from attending games and from meeting Alabama alumni in the area. The world of sports in this city has helped in my transition from college to post-grad life, and I am forever thankful.