Liberation through sports has afforded many young children the opportunity to achieve a high level of success through access to sports. Fortunately, I was one of those kids. My background in psychology has allowed me to reflect on my life and the opportunity that sports has given to me. Community-based youth sports programs were vital to my ability to access sports at a young age. 

Coming from a low-income family, sports were my liberation from what was going on in my life. I am fortunate enough to come from a family of athletes to guide me. My dad played Division-I football at the University of Missouri and my brothers played basketball. From a young age, all I wanted to do was play sports. Never in a million years did I imagine that sports would bring me to where I am today. 

Growing up as a multi-racial girl presented its own challenges, and sports became the space where I could be free. The only thing that mattered, in those moments, was sports. This drive fostered me to where I am now. Currently, I am a Division-I student-athlete at the University of Maryland where I throw for the track and field team. Being a female athlete has been one of the most empowering experiences in my life and admittedly, I wouldn't be the woman I am today without it.

One important thing that has come to light in recent years is the importance of student-athletes finding their identity outside of sports. Talking with my mentor, who has become a vital part in my self-identification journey, put into perspective the importance of understanding that there is a lot of life left after sports are no longer my main focus. My value, peaks and valleys, cannot be solely tied to my athletic performance and achievement. 

Most of the time when I introduce myself I start with, “My name is Jayla Bynum, and I’m a student-athlete at the University of Maryland.” For a long time, I never talked about all of the great things that I am outside of being an athlete. I am a daughter, a friend, an entrepreneur, a caring person, and goal oriented, along with a list of other things that define who I am. It was important for me to understand that sports was not my whole identity. I am more than what I have accomplished athletically. It was also important for me to use what I learned in sports in my everyday life to aid my growth and self identity. 

One person that can attest to my self-discovery journey is my mentor, Sandra Hernandez. Over the last 17 years, she has watched me bridge the gap between my identity as an athlete and a person. It took many years to find who I was outside of a jersey. Instead of seeing myself as a different person, I found ways to be the same Jayla in a jersey as I was without one. Sports can be a great tool and asset for young individuals, but it is always vital to use your network to process your experiences.

I asked Sandra a few questions about the importance of sports and self discovery over a casual conversation and her advice includes two things I wish I knew as a young athlete. Sandra used her own experiences in sport to excel in a life when sports were no longer a priority.Sandra’s biggest pieces of advice to young athletes are:

1. Find those bridges and points in your life where you feel you may lack. There are points in your sports career where you can find a teachable moment to get you through life. A lot of athletes are intimidated by life after sports and figuring out who they are outside of it when still competing. Most of the time athletes wait until they are done competing to reflect on what sports has taught them but there is tremendous value in taking the moments to sit back and reflect on what sports has taught you. 

2. Athletes are more than just their performance. Ranging from Olympic athletes to athletes who play recreationally, there is value in the experience no matter what level one competes at. Sports is an avenue for a lot of people, it provides hope and a promising lifestyle for those who partake in it. I urge all athletes to make sure to recognize truly how much it can give and teach you.

Finding out who you are outside of sports is something I can’t encourage enough to future generations. Using Sandra’s advice, I was so glad to be afforded the opportunity to work with Up2Us Sports and take on this summer [VISTA] role. One day, I would like to have my own nonprofit to make sport and mental health resources accessible to underprivileged communities. Understanding nonprofits, the way they work, and what they do is vital for my career. 

My athletic journey has taught me to use my experiences as a tool to find myself, but not make it who I am. I am much more than an athlete. I've learned that sports is more than just putting on the jersey and receiving accolades. It's the connections made, bridges formed, places seen, and lessons learned.

Jayla will serve as Up2Us Sports Summer VISTA from June - August 2023 thanks to support from AmeriCorps.