This week will be the first Cross Country meet with Ripon High that I will be in attendance of. Thus, I will get my first chance this school year to wear the Ripon Cross Country jersey, showing that I am a part of the team and that I am willing to represent that team at all times when wearing this jersey. As Coach Mcpherson made clear to us when we received the jerseys, we wear our school’s name across our chests and down our backs. So, if we do anything stupid, people will know where we are from. I’ve always found the idea of a jersey interesting since I first received one in recreational soccer when I was in third grade. I decided to join a soccer team because everyone at my school knew how to play soccer. Soccer was the “cool thing” that all of the elementary school boys wanted to be a part of–that I wanted to be a part of. Receiving that red jersey gave me a feeling of belonging–a feeling that, because I dressed like my team, I was a part of that team. The feeling didn’t last. I was one of the less-skilled members of the team, leading me to feel isolated from the team members who were serious about the sport. Nonetheless, I continued to play soccer, training with my dad during my free time and going to practice on the designated days. After all, I had already received the uniform. There was no turning back… Eventually, I stopped playing soccer in the rec league. I took a hiatus from the sport until eighth grade, when a girl that I liked at the time encouraged me to get back into the sport. So, I joined soccer once more. I got another jersey. This one was blue and silver–the colors I had been wearing every Friday for the past seven years. This jersey gave me a similar feeling of belonging (this one feeling more permanent). The most important jersey that I feel that I have ever worn was the Cross Country jersey for Ripon High School. The significance of this jersey (and the sport, for that matter) was not in the unity brought by the clothing, but by the comradery between the people. Even without the jersey, I felt like the Cross Country team was a place where I could belong, where people would accept me regardless of how fast or fit I was. The jersey became less of something that made me feel included and more of something that encouraged me to include others and find my people. Word Count: 330
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James WilkinsI enjoy writing creative stories, but I find it refreshing to express my thoughts through blogs or journals. Archives
April 2024
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