Editor's note: This is a series on NNUSports.com titled "Letter to My Freshman Self." It is based off of The Players' Tribune's "Letter to My Younger Self" series. We will publish these once a month or so throughout the school year.
 
Dear Freshman Kylie,
 
If only you could see the person you are today and how far you will come in the next four years. College softball is about to rock your world and teach you more about yourself than you could've imagined but in the end it will all be worth it. In this letter I'm going to do my best to give you the advice I wish I would've had when I showed up on campus four years ago …
 
Every time you lace up your cleats do it like it'll be your last because pretty soon it will be. Lace up your cleats with pride and gratitude for another chance to play the game you love.
 
When you think you've reached your breaking point on the field and off, you haven't. Take a deep breath, keep moving forward, and never give up. No matter how many ice bags, surgeries, bumps and bruises, late nights spent doing homework, or days where you feel broken you can always keep going if you pick yourself back up.
 
When someone asks you about the mascot change tell them you're proud to be a Crusader or a Nighthawk.
 
When people doubt what your team can achieve, go win your team's first conference championship.
 
Lean on your teammates, learn with them, grow with them, and take care of one another because little did you know these will be the four toughest years of your life so far and you will need them. The memories you make with your teammates will last a lifetime and mean so much more than any win or loss ever will. Invest in the people around you and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve together.
 
Be patient with yourself as you grow and change. It won't be easy. You will feel uncomfortable, stressed, and anxious at times but it's all part of the process.
 
Never stop playing for the 10-year-old version of yourself. The little girl who had big dreams, an unstoppable competitive spirit, and wanted more than anything to be where you are today. Play with that same fire within you and never give up because that little girl is still within you. Never forget how much you love this game and go make that little girl proud.
 
Finally and most importantly, always remember that God has a plan for you and will be by your side the entire way even if you don't always feel his presence. 
 
Have the time of your life lacing those cleats up one final time Kylie and never give up on yourself or your team.
 
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" -2 Timothy 4:7
 
Love,
 
Senior Kylie