Heather’s earliest sports memory is doing gymnastics with her siblings as a child. However, her first unorganized sports memory was playing kickball with her cousins in the back of her grandma’s house every weekend. Throughout her school years, Heather played a variety of sports including track, shot put, and discus. Although there wasn’t an established girls’ football team at the time, Heather played powder puff football, tackling folks every chance she got.
After high school, Heather continued to run on her own but discovered a new passion for skating when a friend invited her to a roller skating rink. Heather explains that skating offers her an outlet to hear good music and challenge herself athletically while avoiding the drama of the club scene. She believes sports and recreation are crucial for interacting with others who have similar interests, focusing on something less serious, and finding a form of stress relief.
Heather describes how sports have built up her determination and self-speak, particularly the positive self-talk she uses to motivate herself when she’s struggling during a challenging workout. She notes that what she says to herself is extremely important and vital to her overall mental and emotional well-being. Heather believes that the lessons she’s learned from sports have carried over into other areas of her life, particularly in pushing herself to do things that she didn’t know she was capable of doing.
Heather’s reflections on the importance of sports and physical activity are particularly inspiring as she expresses her desire to continue being active until her very last days. She believes that physical activity is crucial to achieving a happy and fulfilled life, and that sports are an essential part of it. Heather’s story is a testament to the power of sports and the positive impact they can have on a person’s life.
Interview Originally posted: September 2021
