In high school, teenagers are struggling to find a path that fits them perfectly. Some don’t find it right away but that’s not the case for one determined and self-motivating junior. Chyna Davis finds her happiness in sports, academics, and the relationships she has in her life. She gives her all to everything she does.

Since she was young, sports have meant so much to her. At first, Davis was one to dabble in other sports but they could never satisfy her the way kicking a ball and being aggressive to score a goal, or leaping over hurdles does. Davis has now found that she loves playing soccer in the fall and then leaping over hurdles in the spring for the track season.

“The love of the game and my teammates makes me happy during my sports. It feels good to know that there are people who are always with you and love the same game you play,” she said. Davis not only talks about how soccer makes her happy but how the shared love throughout the team is a happiness all in itself.

The teammates that Davis has built up a strong relationship with over her 3 years playing at Noll are ones to be compared to as a family.

“We aren’t always happy and sometimes we fight, but we never give up on each other,” she said. We all lift each other up when we make mistakes and don’t turn on each other because we are the only people that we have when we are on the field.”

Davis and her family know how to build each other up and understand their reliance on one another when it comes to playing on that field. It’s clear these girls can truly depend on one another because of their teamwork that is displayed on and off the field. “Together, we have many memories, both good and bad. A good memory is during our team bonding when we all would watch horror movies and eat junk food together.” This soccer family is not just for the field and Davis has witnessed this over the past years. She loves their bond more and more with every passing day of the season.

Teammates provide the support and making of the game, but there’s still some history as to why players play the game. For Davis, it started out being a fun little pass-time that eventually developed into a full passion for playing. “I started soccer for fun at first, but after my first year I had grown to love it. I love getting the feelings of euphoria when we’re playing an intense game. I feel complete when we score and especially during a win after a long, hard game.” Some athletes can relate to Davis’s starting point because sports are such a go-to pass-time due to their convenience. But once, the emotions soar and a heart skips beats to try and score with 17 seconds left in the game, Davis found herself falling in love with something more than “just a game.”

Everyone has their ups and down in life. There’s ways to deal with the struggles, but it proves to be difficult when you’re thrown in the middle of the struggle and you’re dying to help to calm the fire. These struggles even hit close to home and Davis found a struggle during her freshman year, playing against Hobart High School.

“It was a home game but we were losing so bad that it didn’t feel like home. However, my team did not give up. Megan Sullivan was dribbling up the field and I was running with her to provide support. She crossed the ball in towards me and I ran into it and shot with all my might. That night, I scored my first high school goal and gave hope to my team that we all can work as a unit,” she said.

Even in the heat of the moment, Davis and her teammates were able to help each other carry on and bring home a win for their team. It’s the moments like these that give athletes’ strength and the will to carry on, both in sports and in everyday life.

These decisions to play and be active in activities will contribute to a life that goes beyond a high school level.

“Ever since I became an athlete I’ve been so much happier. Sports help me balance my life. Sports allow me to prepare for the responsibilities that will come when I graduate.” she said.

Davis understands how her choice to participate in sports will help to guide her future and where she hopes to be once she graduates.

Life is about taking risks and having fun. High school has the potential to be the best time of a teenagers’ life.

“Sports affected my life by giving me something to be passionate about. It’s my stress relief.”

Davis knows how to make the best out of the things she does at this point in her life, especially with sports and school. It is this kind of happiness that gives people, like Davis, a sense of knowing themselves and knowing where this life will take them as they carry on.