Yellow Jacket Times - Jefferson County Public Schools

Sherman Everette
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” This quote,
spoken by Mae West, really sums up life in a nutshell. That’s why you are
encouraged to take risks and do well in all aspects of life. However, some people
don’t take advantage of life. I know I haven’t taken full advantage of life. Had I
done so, I would be a superstar athlete.
As a young child, I was considered more athletic and stronger than the other
children. I was always engaged in some sort of activity. My favorite sport to play
was football. But, I didn’t play for a team. I played street football with a few
friends. I never really was exposed to an area where they had a real football team.
However, my mom was. She lived right in front of the 10 th street Cardinals practice
field. I was never there to watch them practice, though.
I would always talk about football with my dad. When we’d watch football
together, I was so engaged in what was going on. Later on down the line, when I
turned 12, my friends kept encouraging me to join the 10 th street Cardinals because
I was now a permanent tenant at my mother’s house. I didn’t join though. That was
one of the biggest mistakes I made as a child. . If I could, I would go back to the
first day of little league practice. I’d have been the first person on the field.
As I grew up, I continued to regret not joining the football team. My friends
were astonished at the fact that I wasted my talent. Then I reached high school. I
still was a high caliber football player, but I chose not to play. As each year went
by, my physical prowess was no longer the talk of the city. Since I wouldn’t take
advantage of the opportunity put forth, I was never questioned again.
Regret is a terrible thing to live with. As I got older, I made the decision to
never regret anything. I will do whatever I want to do or be involved in at that
moment. I still don’t play football because I don’t have time for it. However, I do
play baseball. And I will continue to do it. If quitting ever comes to mind, I will
continue to play. Live with no regrets.