Rachel Dugan: Dear Pittsburgh

Dear Pittsburgh,

One of my all-time favorite quotes is "It's about the journey, not the destination" and with such an abrupt and hectic ending to my gymnastics career, this rings even more true. Just as in practice where we are not defined by our last skill or turn on the event; I am not defined by my incomplete senior season, but rather the culmination of the many years I have spent in this sport.

When I was 16, everyone in my high school asked me if I wanted to continue gymnastics in college. I would look at them and laugh and say no-- this was never a thought in my mind. I had assumed the natural ending to my career would be at my high school graduation. I didn't think I was talented enough to compete in college.

Thank you, Pitt, for letting me be wrong.

My freshman year, when I came to Pitt, I was shy, sensitive, and scared of everything. Something that not many people know is that I quit gymnastics at the beginning of my sophomore year. I used to refrain from telling people that; I thought it was embarrassing. I thought the decision to walk away made me weak. What I know now, was that the decision made me strong. It also made me thankful. Sam, Ryan, and Dave owed me nothing, but made the choice to let me rejoin the team again. This changed the trajectory of my entire experience at Pitt.

Thank you, Sam. You have been the strong female role model I have needed during college.
Thank you, Ryan. You transformed my gymnastics but more so transformed my self-confidence.
Thank you, Dave. You believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself. You never left my side.
Thank you, Shawn. Not only did you physically hold me together for these past four years, you were always there for advice, a shoulder to cry on, or someone to laugh with.

To my teammates-- you are the ones who have made my Pitt experience so memorable and meaningful. You all are the most hardworking, selfless, and passionate group of people I know. I will so much miss the dinner dates, travel meets, dance parties, practices, study sessions, and any time I was able to be around such a fun-loving and radiant group of girls. I also now know I have friends for life. You all know how much you mean to me.

To MB, and the entire strength and conditioning team at Pitt, thank you for pushing me to my limits in a different capacity than I was used to. Thank you, Auburn, for helping me to fuel and understand my body as an athlete. To Ashton, Jaz, and Carly, thank you for showcasing all of our hard work as athletes, and investing your time to make us shine. To Mandy, the entire Life Skills crew, and all the administrators who have invested in me as both a student and an athlete while at Pitt, thank you for allowing me to reach my full potential outside of gymnastics.

There are so many more thank-yous, because of the countless people at the University of Pittsburgh who have sacrificially given something of themselves to make my student-athlete experience, and these past four years of my life, so undeniably special.

I'd like to end with two more.

Thank you to the Pitt community for showing up for us always. You allowed us to break countless attendance records in the Fitz and created an electric atmosphere for our competitions. We are so lucky to perform to such engaged and passionate fans.

And to my whole family-- perhaps the biggest thank you. You have been here for the past 17 years of gymnastics. You have allowed me to do the sport I love for so long and have been with me every step of the way.

As a big chapter of my life comes to a close, I am excited to see where my future takes me, and what challenge I will conquer next. I am forever grateful that the University of Pittsburgh provided a place where I could exceed what I ever thought was possible for my gymnastics career. I am thankful to have been able to attend such a place that sets me up for future successes.

Thank you to my Pitt family and thank you, Gymnastics.

H2P always,
Rachel Dugan

University of Pittsburgh Athletics

Players Mentioned

Rachel Dugan

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