FIN.

Thinking about the end of my career, it was hard to pick the instant it ended. Was it the second that Washington scored the game point in my final game? Was it after we took the picture of the departing seniors? Was it after we gave our drunken speeches in the hotel in Madison? Was it as soon as the champion was crowned at nationals? Or maybe it was when we all said goodbye and got on the road back to Champaign, I kept wanting to delay what I considered the end. After 47 tournaments, a final record 186-118, and 30,000 miles on the road, I didn't want the fun to end. I finally got back to my apartment in Champaign, and it was hard to deny that my time as a player at Illinois was over.

The next day, Today, I passed on my responsibilities on the team to some of the underclassmen, and accepted my transition into the next phase of my relationship with Illinois Ultimate as an Alumni. I came to the conclusion that no matter how old or young I was, I always was and always will be a part of Illinois Ultimate. Before College, before I even knew what Ultimate was, I was a recruit, and then I transitioned into the player that I am. From now and for as long as I live I will be a part of this program as an Alumni. The memories and friendships that I formed over the past five years will be hard to replace, and impossible to replicate. All of the people that came before me and their contributions made this program what it is today. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of them, and even if I never played a single point with them, I consider them my teammates and my friends. I hope that the people that come to Illinois Ultimate in the future see myself and my contributions in the same light.

The people on this team have helped me through the tough times over the past five years, and were responsible for most of the good times. Seven others are in my same position right now, and have to come to grips with the end of their college ultimate careers, but it is time to say goodbye.

A quote that has rung true with me recently: "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." - A.A. Milne Winnie the Pooh