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 Marissa Davis, an acrobatics & tumbling student-athlete at West Liberty.
Dear Acrobatics and Tumbling,
I haven’t known you for my entire life, but that’s what has made our relationship so special. In our short time together, I’ve learned so much about this extraordinary sport and even more about myself.
You’re unforgiving of laziness, and you don’t pity the weak. You brought together so many lessons I have learned in my past sports and experiences and taught me how to apply those skills in a completely new way. You’re new, you’re challenging, and you’re unique. Your demands are different from anything I’ve dealt with before, and that has showed me how versatile I can be.
No, we haven’t been together for a long time, but that taught me how capable I am to learn new things and to push myself into unfamiliar territories. You showed me that the work I put in, is the result I will see in the end. You’ve pushed me to keep moving forward, even when I felt like I couldn’t go any further. You remind me that if I’m willing to work hard and make sacrifices, I will be rewarded with success and support. You’ve given me a team of warriors who are equally as dedicated, hardworking, and as passionate about life as I am. You gave me a group of leaders who showed me what it meant to follow my dreams and truly taught me not to let others influence my decision in my own life.
Acro and tumbling, you have been a constant in my life even when I felt like nothing was
for certain. For all these things, I just want to express how grateful I am. Without you, I could
have missed out on so many experiences, memories, and lessons. I’m immensely proud of the
woman you have shown me that I can be. I’ll never find the words to express the love I’ve found
for my teammates and coaches, but our memories will stay with me my entire life. So, thanks
acrobatics and tumbling, thanks for showing me my full potential and showing me what hard
work can result in.
Love,
Marissa Davis #21
West Liberty University