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 Kristin Gobbi, a lacrosse student-athlete at UVa-Wise.
Dear Lacrosse,
I still do not know how you came into my life. I know sounds funny, but I just remember freshman year in high school wanting to be a cheerleader not even considering ever playing lacrosse. Both of my brothers played, and I was always going to tournaments and games to support them, but I never saw myself playing or even being interested in it. Still to this day I do not know why I picked up a lacrosse stick, but it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
You have had a huge impact on my life and I am grateful to have been in a relationship with you throughout college. You have introduced me to one of the most amazing coaches a player can ask for and she has changed my life. Being introduced to Coach Dennehy was an impact on my life beyond words. She has taught me life skills, how to deal with situations and she has made me grow on the field.
Without knowing you I would have never gone to college, I would have never met some of the most amazing people and I would not be even close to the person I am today. You have introduced me to some of the best people and amazing coaches. You have made me the bubbly, smiley, goofy, outgoing person I am today and for that I cannot thank you enough.
You have been in my life for eight years now—way less than most people have known you. I know you have many relationships with thousands of other people but the love between us is very different. You taught me how to be passionate, how to be to be unstoppable, you have taught me about sportsmanship and what it is to be a part of a team. You have taught me how to be accountable for myself and my teammates and you have taught me how to manage my time, so that I was successful on and off the field.
I have faced many challenges, but I have grown each day with your help. Between the early morning practices or lifting sessions to the hours I have spent in the training room recovering from many different injuries, you have made me mentally tough and always happy. Although these challenges were minor I learned how to overcome them and continue every day with a smile on my face for myself and my teammates. You have made me realize I am not the only person with these struggles and if others can get through I can too.
You have seen me at my worst and at my best. I have cried many times because of you and I have also laughed so hard till it hurt because of you. I have learned that seven hour drives to games is nothing. You have taken me to explore different places and I have seen so much in my four years as a collegiate athlete, all because of you.
This is my last year with you and it is so hard to believe, I wish I was introduced to you earlier on, but everything happens for a reason and it could have not been better timing for our relationship to start. You have made my family so much prouder of me then they already are, and their support means the world. You have made them fall in love with you because of the love they have supporting me. Picking up a stick and throwing away the pom-poms was the greatest decision of my life and I really do not know what I would have done without you.
Thank you for the wonderful opportunity you have given me.
Love always,
Kristin Gobbi
#10 UVa-Wise Women’s Lacrosse