Bluffton University is a place built on community and relationships. It’s also a place where a large percentage of students have come to play on one of the athletic teams. However, not every student that’s recruited to play a sport will end up doing so for four years at Bluffton. Some may transfer to another university after quitting a sport, but many choose to stay for the community they’ve found at Bluffton.
Senior Jayden Groppi is among those who came to Bluffton as an athlete but found community and purpose outside of his sport. Groppi started as a football player, but he said quitting football was among the best decisions he’s ever made as he reflects on his Bluffton experience.
“I would have quit the sport if I had to go back in time,” Groppi said. “The best move I made was quitting football—it forced me to find my true identity. People knew me through football, so quitting gave me the opportunity to find myself and my purpose.”
Senior Shelby Koenig is also a former Bluffton athlete. After playing three years on the women’s basketball team, she said she finally found what was truly important when she decided to quit.
“I just figured out my priorities. I needed to micromanage my time better,” said Koenig. “My senior year, I thought it was best for me to use my time better and look for future job opportunities and internships.”
First-year student Jayme Mannor came to a similar conclusion as Groppi and Koenig. Mannor arrived at Bluffton with the intention of running track for the Beavers, but she eventually decided her feeling of belonging at Bluffton was more important than being an athlete.
“I chose to stay at Bluffton rather than transfer. Although I was having a hard time adjusting in the beginning of the semester, I knew this was the place for me,” said Mannor. “On campus, I feel like I fit. I feel like I belong.”
Mannor said her decision to quit track involved determining what her priorities were as she transitioned to college.
“I decided to discontinue track because of how demanding my classes were at the time. I had a pretty large workload my first semester here, and on top of that, I had a harder time adjusting to college life than expected,” said Mannor.
Bluffton is a place to grow. As Groppi, Koenig and Mannor shared, it’s a place to learn about who you are and what’s important to you. Some students quit sports only to discover greater passions and relationships outside of their identity as an athlete.
Bluffton athletics aren’t for everyone, but there’s community to be found for anyone on Bluffton’s campus.
