Editor’s note: AJ Fogg is the Spiritual Life Prefect for SLC at the senior high. She is currently a junior (class of 2027).
My name is AJ Fogg, and I am a junior this year at Front Range. This is my fifth year at this school, and I am beyond blessed to have been able to explore so many aspects of our school’s culture. For the past two years, I have been a member of our Student Leadership Coalition, I have taken part in numerous theatre productions, both on stage or behind the scenes, and I’ve taken a variety of electives through the years. But perhaps the most impactful thing for me has been sports.
I have played softball since I was 7 years old and basketball since I was 13. Sports have majorly influenced my character in the ways they have instilled resilience and pushed me to be the best version of myself. I think resilience is the ability to adapt to difficult situations and use those newfound lessons to grow. Resilience feeds into self-awareness, optimism, and maintaining a sense of commitment. Whether it was a tough game, angry coaches, or long stretches of slumps, sports have taught me to push myself to improve. There have been many times I’ve come home from a practice I didn’t excel at, and asked my parents “what if I just quit?” Thankfully, while my parents would have supported me in any decision I made, they have taught me to ‘stick it out’. A major part of resilience is staying consistent to commitments; learning this in the context of sports has encouraged my dedication in other areas of my life too. While these qualities of resilience are so important to someone’s character, we can easily define ourselves by the ways we have grown, or the fruit we bear, completely discrediting God’s hand on our lives.
Through the years I have had numerous injuries. Many either limit me from playing to my full ability, or from playing at all. Every recent season, I’ve had a new injury. I had tendonitis in my knees and my elbow, had shin splints, almost tore a tendon in my shoulder, have broken my fingers (once needing surgery), broken my arm twice, and had 2 concussions. While some of these have silly stories behind them, each season I felt like I HAD to push myself to my limits to prove that I was working hard enough. Prove I was being the best I could be. Prove I was good enough. What I learned from injury after injury was that God never intended for me to find my self worth in sports, but simply wanted to give me an opportunity to serve Him there. The wisdom God has given me through these opportunities has contributed so much to my overall mindset in every area of my life.
While sports themselves have contributed to the person I am today, another major component to my disposition has been the people around me. Last year, we had a very small basketball team at FRCS and our varsity squad was only five girls; Kailey, Shayla, Audrey, Lily, and me. When our teams were assigned, I knew it would be a fun season, but I didn’t understand until later, the place these girls would have in my heart. A year later, we still get together(though two of them have moved for college), and send weekly life updates with our highs and lows every Sunday. I believe that friendships formed through sports, or even just shared activities, are some of the most influential friendships one can have. Between late 7-9 pm practices, and bus rides to games far away, we spent loads of time together, growing our compassion and vulnerability with each other. Even though they weren’t more than two years older, they had unending wisdom and love for me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to adequately describe the ways these girls have changed me for the better, but one way I see fit is with using the Bible verse Galatians 6:2 which says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”. Each of these girls have incredibly different and special strengths. Kailey is someone I know I can always count on for peace, she was the rock I leaned onto on the court. Shayla texts me after every hard test to tell me she’s proud of me, always cheering me on. Audrey is a consistent smiling face in the hallway, always so full of hope. And good ol’ Lily is my partner in crime. I have been able to count on these girls in such incredible ways and am so blessed to have them in my life.
Ultimately, one of the most impactful opportunities Front Range has offered me is sports because of the ways it has shaped me. I hope that we as a school would be people of joy, resilience, perseverance, and community, with a strong identity built on Christ. Whether it’s playing basketball, performing in the musical, or simply just resting in friendship, I would encourage you to look around at how God uses specific situations to make you more like the person He wants you to be. There are so many lessons God is willing to teach us if only we open our eyes and our hearts to receive. May we be a people of recognition and obedience, a community of persistence and faith, and a congregation of faithful hearts.
