Lastly, we’re highlighting two female athletes in our AT family, MV and Emma!
MV spent four summers adventuring with AT. “Adventure Treks gave me a space to play, which was so different compared to a sport (figure skating) that requires precision and perfection. I learned how to be a teammate and a leader. I learned to value others from different backgrounds and how they approach situations, so we can make the best decisions together,” she said.
Emma, a four-year AT student, is kicking off her junior season of lacrosse and this summer will be joining us for Leadership Summit.
“AT has pushed me to be better and strive for more. It has helped me get more out of my athletics and has made me want more out of life. I can promise that you won’t lose any athleticism if you decide that AT is right for you,” Emma said.
When you give yourself a healthy break from the intensity of organized sports, you’d be amazed at how the time spent creating friendships, grounding your body in nature, and restoring your inner passions through challenge manifests into a go-getting, ready-to-compete athlete. “AT forces you to approach your training differently. Your brain needs new and different challenges. Your brain needs rest, your body needs rest. And your emotional health needs new and deeper friendships. I left AT each year and GOT BETTER at my sport. You will, too,” MV said.
“At Adventure Treks, I learned to make plans for the future and learn a little more about myself every time I go. For example, it was hard for me to transition from sophomore to junior year while playing a sport because I didn’t want to do badly in school. But AT has taught me that I can do everything I want to do as long as I have time management and a desire for what I am doing,” Emma said.
While on a trip with us in the summer, we try to equip our students with the tools they need to attain and reach their goals. For Emma, that looked like balancing her academic and athletic careers. Creating clear and structured checkpoints to keep yourself on track in the classroom or on the trail prevents students from finding themselves drowning in assignments or lost within the woods.
“AT gave me so much confidence and a safe place to run to when my sport or personal life got to be too much. When I was at AT, girls were present, but still the minority. I learned how to be comfortable in male-dominated spaces. When I started, I was the slowest. By the end of my 3rd trip, I was keeping pace with the fastest group of all boys, or beating them,” MV said. Navigating spaces in which you find yourself as the minority can be intimidating, but using those opportunities as motivation to find your rightful place at the table is where balance is restored. With the recent boom in appreciation of women’s sports, it’s important we highlight that our young women are exceptional athletes and the qualities they possess allow them to excel in every endeavor—especially an AT trip.
Finding outlets and interests outside of your sport gives various avenues to explore once the years of practices and competition weekends start to die down. “The only thing we are guaranteed as young athletes is that our competitive sports chapter—at least in the way it probably looks for you right now—will come to a close. It does not mean your identity as an athlete will end, but it will shift and evolve as you grow older,” MV said. Instead of placing your identity and value inside of one chapter of your life, seek to discover hobbies and experiences that water your soul and allow your identity to flourish, becoming a hub for new opportunities. This makes the potential transition from active to retired athlete much smoother and fulfilling.
“Adventure Treks laid the groundwork for me to become a professional athlete, succeed in a male-dominated field, and know there was a life after my sport. I got the best friends from my early life, who I still talk to 15+ years later,” said MV. Emma agrees. “Doing AT in the summer has taught me how to push through challenges and enjoy the tough parts. I take this home with me and into my sports by putting in the work to become better while also recognizing how close to my teammates I am becoming.
The time spent at Adventure Treks enhanced the lives of all the athletes featured today and many other AT students’ athletic careers and personal lives. A brief break in athletic routines, coupled with active adventures and an unwavering community, can completely transform an athlete’s overall wellness and belief in success at their sport. Make time for a healthy pause and return to sport with a champion mindset and unshakeable grit.
