In 2018-19, the Mountain East Conference began its "Dear Sport" initiative where student-athletes in the conference were encouraged to write a letter to their sport. The initiative provides the opportunity for student-athletes to express in their own words the impact that sports has played in shaping them throughout their lives. 

Click here to view all letters posted throughout the year. 

Below is a letter from Bryce Porter, a junior men's soccer player at Wheeling Jesuit University.

Dear Futbol,

I would like to thank you for the countless, and priceless gifts you’ve provided me. From the beginning you have given me everything I could ever ask for. I have developed an unquestionable passion for you and you have given me something I can count on when all odds seem to be against me. You have been my most loyal companion, and have always guided me through tough times, and no matter what kind of mood I’m in, I can count on you to make me happy.

Additionally, Futbol, you have taught me many life lessons. You have taught me how to deal with problems as they come and you’ve taught me to act thoughtfully while under pressure. I have fallen in love with your strict demands and even more so with the beautiful outcome of meeting those demands. You have taught me to train myself to exceed demands, to never settle for “good enough” and that by training in a way that attempts to reach perfection, I can achieve excellence. You have brought out the best in me, forcing me to work hard, and making me realize the satisfaction in that work. You have taught me how to be a leader and how to face all kinds of adversity, showing me the importance of getting back up no matter how hard you get knocked down. Also, you have prepared me to handle a busy life by forcing me to learn how to prioritize and deal with keeping busy without shutting down. I have learned to balance a busy academic career with a demanding athletic career while still making time for friends, even if it means knowing when to procrastinate things a bit. Speaking of which, it’s 10 pm and I’m writing this letter to you on my way home from collecting three points on the road which put us in the playoffs, and it’s meant to be sent in tomorrow. I can’t thank you enough for all of the lessons you have taught me, or more importantly, for all of the amazing people you’ve brought me in to contact with.

Over the course of the last 16 years that I’ve known you, I have met so many incredible people who have given me great unimaginable opportunities to further my career. They, like you, have also taught me many lessons in life, guided me through tough times, shared their wisdom with me, and made me a better person as a whole. Without them, I would not be the man I am today, nor do I believe I would have had the success that I have had in life. You, along with the teammates, coaches and friends you bring into my life, inspire me to reflect all the best parts of everyone I meet, making me more likely to succeed with each new person I meet. Futbol, you have given me a family that exceeds all expectations, who means more than the word to me, and who I would do anything for. You have given me more than I could have ever asked for, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Futbol, you have been in my life through all the good and the bad, and you made the bad times easier and the good times great. You have been a loyal companion who I have been able to have unwavering faith in, and I will forever be in your debt for that. I hope that I can repay some of that debt by introducing others to you and allowing you to do for them, all that you have done for me. You’re more than a game. You’re a lifestyle, a mentor, and for many, a savior. Thank you for being all those things and more for me, and for the billions of other people who know your beauty.

Love,
Bryce Porter