sports.

this is going to be an oddly sentimental post with multiple points — but first I just have to say:

I will never get over how ripped my legs were. 😍

maybe some day I’ll get them back to that level haha — however, I still love em.

getting a career ending soccer injury was less than ideal. it rocked me to my core and broke me. soccer was my only constant throughout all the moves, all my homes, all the change. it pushed me and provided an incredible outlet while giving me multiple little families of teams and friends. it made me happy.

when my journey ended, I had no idea what to do. fourteen years of hard work and happiness — and it just stopped. I will never forget the sadness I felt when my amazing team of physical therapists told me that I would need surgery and my hip just probably wasn’t going to heal in time to continue competitive sports. but the support those physical therapists gave me throughout the years of rehab will always be wholeheartedly appreciated.

athletic trainers and physical therapists deserve so more recognition !! they are so crucial in so many athletes’ lives.

but when my main PT told me the news, he added, “I know it doesn’t feel like it, but there’s more to life than soccer. you still have so much to live for.” and he was right.

I miss soccer more than anything else because it was my passion for most of my life — but sports still found a way to lead me to my next passion, unexpectedly.

I wanted to get involved in stuff as soon as I got to college — I’m a virgo after all — and I loved sports and I missed sports, and I was pursuing journalism. so, I signed up for the sports radio station. I was the only girl at the first meeting, and a dude asked me, “are you lost?”

I was not.

I was the sideline reporter at two football games and eventually at one of our meetings, they explained we needed photo content for the website. I volunteered. I was good. I was happy. I was capturing the dance of sports. I was making art. that’s when I fell in love with photography.

I eventually took a break from the sports radio team due to getting busy with leading creative teams at the ad agency – plus, my business was growing.

I was growing, too. eventually when life calmed down a bit, I turned to sabrina before our junior yr of college and told her, “I want to rejoin the sports radio station.”

I was excited. she was excited for me too.

but just a few days later, a guy from that station texted me, trying to pursue me. I said no – kindly, of course. and he continued to push…saying that he “just wants to fuck,” and that we would only need to talk or hang out when he wanted to have sex.

I said no and explained how again, I was not interested and that how he was talking to me was incredibly disrespectful.

he pushed and pushed. until, finally, I stood up for myself and strongly said no, along with other harsh remarks.

sometimes you have to be a bitch, and that’s fine. and sometimes people just fucking suck.

that’s not fine.

I cried. sabrina let me. she’s such an amazing friend.

I called my dad, cried some more. he let me. my mom called me, I cried. she let me.

they’re amazing parents.

then, I went to a guy who was higher up in the ladder, but who had just graduated.

I explained the situation to him. he warned me that talking about this situation would tarnish the radio station. that all the hard work to build it up would get ruined. he then told me, “drea, you know these guys don’t have that much experience talking to girls.”

I never went back.

and honestly, it tarnished sports for me a little bit.

women in sports matter. they are capable and talented and important.

it makes me so happy seeing more women excel in the sports industry — as athletes, as reporters, as journalists, as videographers, as trainers, as coaches, etc. they rock my fucking world.

unfortunately, almost every woman in sports deals with harassment.

I hope that changes. that needs to change.

I’m falling back in love with sports again – slowly. I miss it. I don’t know how it will fit back into my life again. but I’m thankful for sports, still. sports gave me fourteen years of strength and team building. it gave me a constant. a safety net. a safe space.

and when I wasn’t playing, it still gave me fun memories when I was on the sideline (with either a mic or a camera in-hand) or in the stands with loved ones.

but most importantly, all those obstacles have pushed me to be a damn good photographer.

it truly led me to my passion. and guess what?

I’m working with a modeling agency this weekend. my photoshoot filled up in 5 minutes. models signed up so fast. people like working with me. they like my art.

and I’m still goddamn happy.

don’t let anyone get in your way. there’s always something good to live for. I love u.

xx. drea