My One Haunting College Decision

Michigan's ultimate team, Magnum has a long tradition of greatness, always qualifying for and doing pretty well in the national tournament. Playing on Magnum was my dream ever since the college application process. I watched the following video over and over, hoping I would have the chance to make history at the greatest university in the world with one of the best ultimate teams in the country.

[It's such a freakin awesome video, right?!]

Freshman year, I had a chance at my dream. I came into college in shape and mentally prepared to make a big splash at the Magnum tryouts, and to some extent, I did. I made it onto the B team, the Magnum reserve team, and I went to all practices and finally went to a weekend-long tournament in Ohio. It was great. I was in great shape, playing well, and enjoying playing the only organized sport I have ever been involved in.

Then I quit the team. I was on the team for a month but quit the after realizing the the time commitment interfered with a lot of the things that I had already determined would be non-negotiables. These include Bible Study, church, and fellowship. I was determined not to allow anything to hinder my spiritual growth in college. I decided that being part of AIV was more important to me than being on the ultimate team.

This decision has haunted me for years. Many of the guys I tried out with that also only made the reserve team are now on Magnum. Every time I see them, I am reminded of the opportunity I missed out on. I have no doubt that if I had stayed on the B team, I would be on Magnum by now.  Every time I see someone wearing Magnum gear, I can't help but imagine what it would look like on me. I can't help but think about how awesome it would be to play on Magnum. I imagine myself scoring, throwing great passes, and making sick lays. I imagine myself holding a trophy and high-fiving and hugging teammates after a tournament victory. I imagine myself in great shape physically and great shape mentally as I mature in leadership on the team. Too bad those are only imaginations of my mind. The adrenaline of playing organize ultimate is incomparable, the comradery unparalleled. I got a taste of it, but it was just that: only a taste.

Did I make make the right decision? Was choosing AIV over Magnum the right choice? Thinking back, there are many negotiables that I confused as non-negotiables. For example: even though I was committed to going to a small group, I didn't necessarily have to go to the small group that interfered with my practices. I could have switched small groups (or even switched fellowships) if needed. In the end, I decided that AIV and the Stockwell small group were more important to me than Magnum. If I could change that decision, I might.

The mental stimulation and adrenaline of organize sports cannot be felt anywhere else. The exhilaration and joy of winning cannot be compared to winning in any other arena. The comradery and unity of the team cannot be matched, even in a healthy Christian community. I have passed up my last opportunity in organized sports, and I might live kicking myself for not jumping on this opportunity.

I chose AIV over Magnum, and I'll never know if I made the right decision.