Freshman Lauren Haught may play many sports, but she does not define herself a sportswoman despite the wrench sports have thrown into her quiet life. Lauren Haught has been playing sports since the 2nd grade, but she has thrown the ball around with her dad ever since she can remember.

Now, seven years after joining her first team, Lauren has narrowed down her long sports list to just softball and basketball. To some, that would seem a lot, but to Lauren it’s the minimum. Lauren plays sports recreationally, and does not keep track of her numbers or statistics, as to keep the games that she loves pure of heart.

The sports that Lauren play can sometimes get in the way of her school work, but she is not eager to quit.

“I’ve had a lot of hard times with sports getting in the way of my academic achievements- she has won one basketball tournament and ten softball tournaments. I really want to do well in school, but I love playing sports so it’s hard. Sometimes you kind of have to pick and choose which one you’re going to work on if you’re having a busy night, and there’s pros and cons to doing each,” said Lauren.

Lauren’s had to make sacrifices to play sports, and sometimes she regrets it. She loves playing with her team but it can be hard to play when you’re not feelings great, or there’s a party you’re missing, or sometimes that you had planned for a couple weeks and had to cancel.

“Some of my friends don’t play sports, and it can be hard to see them during the weekends when I’m playing a lot of sports,” said Lauren. “ I really love all of the friends I’ve made on my teams, and I am really thankful for the opportunity to play, but sometimes I really just want to sit back and watch a movie on a Friday night, you know?”

Sometimes people can be mean in sports.

“You hear things like, ‘No bow- you’re a lesbo!’ said a lot when people are joking about during basketball or softball- but mostly basketball for whatever reason,” said Lauren. “Whenever girls play sports you hear things like that a lot, but it’s just people being stupid. You have to learn to ignore them and keep going on playing the sports that you love.”

Lauren says that there are many things that help her get over it when people are being mean. In some sports, things can be said often that hurt other people’s feelings or beliefs.

“You can get scholarships with sports and things, and it’s really active so it’s not like there’s nothing good about them,” said Lauren. “Most of the people saying things like that are on the team so it’s not too bad because it’s like- how can you say bad things when you’re on the team too?””

Even though Lauren has had to give up time with her friends and sometimes regrets it, she says that she always snaps out of it and is glad that she still plays sports. She says that she has met a lot of people through sports, and because of sports she is still very active today. As if to thank Lauren for playing sports, she is also very gifted player.

“I’ve been in around…10 or more competitions for softball, and one for basketball,” said Lauren. “I love playing in competitions, it’s a great feeling knowing that you earned a spot there. We’ve gone undefeated in some softball competitions, and in our basketball one.”

The feeling of winning is important and dear to everyone who has experienced it.

“It’s a great feeling knowing that you’ve earned it when you medal, or when you beat a really hard team.” said Lauren. “That feeling makes up for all that bad things that can come with sports- in the moments that I win, I know that playing sports all that time, and all those long practices where I wanted to quit, were worth it.”

Lauren wants to keep playing sports as long as she can get something worthy out of her time.

“I think I’ll continue sports. I know that I’ll keep going until it’s not fun for me- but right now it gives me a sense of accomplishment, and I like that. I may be having trouble with school, or whatever, but I know that I always have sports I can look forward to if I’m having a bad day. Sports do mean a lot to me, and I’m happy to be playing,” said Lauren.