Dorrit E.

Photography by Julia Thompson

If you’re reading this, you’re bigger than your sport.

I know how hard that can be to believe when so much of your life revolves around it. The early mornings, late nights, grueling workouts, the sacrifices you make just to get a chance to compete - it all becomes part of who you are. And when your role on the team isn’t what you imagined, when you’re not the one scoring the game-winning goals, it’s easy to feel like you don’t measure up to your identity.

I’ve been there.

For 12 years I played field hockey, 5 of which were here at UNC, and for a long time, I tied my identity to that title. I was super proud of being a DI field hockey player at one of the top programs in the nation, but when I wasn’t getting the minutes I hoped for, I started questioning everything. Do I even belong here? Am I enough? Do people not consider me worthy of my spot on the team? I won 3 national championships, but I didn’t play in the games… do I even deserve the trophies? If I wasn’t playing, then what was I even contributing?

It took time (up until my super senior season to be exact) and me reaching my rock bottom, but I realized something that changed everything: my value wasn’t defined by my playing time. I had the power to lead, to grow, and to make an impact in ways that stretched far beyond the field. I threw myself into community outreach, making real connections and using my platform to give back. Whether it was being a Team Impact fellow, reading to elementary school kids, or even just picking up trash on our adopted highway, I strived to get our team to do things bigger than themselves. I focused on my academics, proving to myself that I could excel in more than just athletics. And I took a leap of faith and started two of my own businesses, stepping into a new kind of challenge that fueled my passion. DK Properties is an investment real estate business that I’m working to keep pursuing after graduation and Chapel Chill Tub Club is a wellness community I co-founded to leave a positive impact on Carolina when I leave.

All of this said, I learned that being an athlete is just one piece of who I am, not the whole story. And the same is true for you.

If you’re feeling lost, if you’re questioning your worth because of a number on a stat sheet, I want you to know this: you are more than a player. You are more than an athlete. You are more than your sport. You are a leader, a creator, a thinker, a person with endless potential in and out of your sport. The minutes you play don’t define you, but the way you show up, the way you grow, and the way you impact those around you do.

So if you’re reading this, know that you are enough exactly as you are. Your sport is part of your journey, but it is not your whole identity. And when you embrace that, you’ll find that your influence reaches far beyond the game.

Dorrit E., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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