SOKY Athletes Share Essays on Time Away from Sports
ALPs Participants and Graduates Were Asked to Share Thoughts
During the suspension of training and competition, as well as all other SOKY activities, we have worked to keep our athletes engaged both physically and mentally. Staying busy and active is a great way to keep both your body and mind in good health. And, we all know that self-care is more important now than ever. Graduates and current students of the Athlete Leadership Program (ALPS) were given an essay project to complete in the absence of meeting together.
The guidelines were simple as our intention was to give these athletes the opportunity to use their voice to share their very personal feelings, experiences, challenges and accomplishments:
Write an essay about what missing Summer Games means to you and what you’re most looking forward to when you’re able to practice and play sports again. Share how your daily life has changed and what you have done to stay active and healthy. Include how you’ve been able to stay in touch with friends and family during this time. Have you learned any life lessons during this time?  Are there things you used to take for granted that you appreciate now?
Submissions were accepted from May 15 – June 15. Fourteen essays were submitted by athletes in various areas of the state. While it wasn’t officially a contest, Lexington athlete Claire Mynear’s essay was deemed the “Staff favorite,” and Claire will be presented a Target gift card for her effort.
You can read them all here:
