Moving on to the Next Play

By Olivia Samkavitz | IG: @oliviasamkavitz_

I was born to be a great teammate, not the best player. 

Though I have only come to that realization now. I have played competitive sports my whole life, but my true passion was soccer. I grew up traveling hours to play at tournaments on the East Coast. In the start of my soccer career I played purely for fun, aspiring to be just as good as my older brothers. My team started to become more competitive as we grew up. I struggled to keep up with the new level of play. But my love and determination for the sport carried to transform me as a player and take my skills to the next level. My coaches at Pennsylvania Rush were nothing short of amazing, they helped me reach my potential and brought me to a new level of play. Seeing what I was capable of on the field changed my mindset. I went from playing for fun to now expecting to never make a mistake. It was hard for me to comprehend mistakes on the field. If I had a bad a pass or shanked a shot, that was all I could ever think about. I could not move on to the next play because I was caught up on the mistake. I got so in my head during games, I was not confident in my skills anymore. I was so anxious to play, because the fear of making a mistake held me back. I cried after games, and even during games. I never told anyone how I was really feeling and if I ever shed a tear in front of others I would play it off as an injury. I did not want to go to anything for soccer. I needed a break from soccer. I wanted to find the love and passion I once had for a sport. 

I chose to start a new chapter of my athletic career, and I tried out for my high school lacrosse team. I never played lacrosse before ninth grade so I didn’t have high expectations for my skills. I could drop as many balls, and it never affected how I played because I was simply just playing for fun.  I went into this season with a positive mindset. I immediately noticed the difference between my level of play, and more importantly my mental health. It wasn’t the change of sports, team, or coaches. But it was the new mindset that was instilled in me because I was simply playing for fun.

Seeing how much my perspective on sports changed, I wanted to advocate for my friends and teammates who I also saw struggle with their mindset. I created a club at school called Next Play Sports to spread the message of “moving on to the next play” and to provide resources to athletes. At the same time I also became a Morgan’s Message Ambassador and connected Morgan’s Message to my club. We recognize athletes with a positive mindset, make social media posts, and host dedication games to both Morgan’s Message and Next Play. We have had guest speakers come in and we were lucky enough to also collaborate with another amazing mental health awareness business “Here for You”, created by Ellie Haney who shares her story and experience with mental health. Spreading awareness through clothing and events. The feedback I got from creating this club and all the work I have been doing inspires me to continue breaking the stigma. People approach me at each dedication game with personal stories sharing how they have been affected by mental health and how much our work means to them. This highlights why we all raise awareness. To make an impact, to make change, and to help others.  

I continue to play sports competitively both at my high school for soccer and lacrosse and I play club at Dynasty Elite Lacrosse. Dynasty Elite has supported me on and off the field. They are also a part of Morgan’s Message and have had multiple nights dedicated to the organization. I know that I am supported by every coach at Dynasty as they are all there for me. I am able to play for fun and also grow as a player competitively and it doesn’t take a toll at my mental health. Returning to high school soccer for my senior year was difficult for me, as for my past years this was where I struggled the most with my mentality. I could have quit. But I knew that I had a new mindset and I wanted to end my soccer career on a high note. The coaching staff and girls on the team have supported me through my journey. My last soccer season was different from my past seasons. Even when I did not have a good game or if we lost I was only focused on the positives and stayed looking forward. Morgan’s Message influenced me to make changes to the community and also to my own mindset.

So many athletes feel pressure from coaches, teammates, and parents to succeed, but most athletes have the most pressure coming from themselves. You can’t control the mistakes you make, but you can control how you react. I have learned that you can be your biggest enemy, but you can also be your best supporter.