After watching the recent March Madness NCAA Basketball Tournament, and seeing both the exciting wins from the Villanova Men’s Basketball team and the Women’s UConn Huskies as they won the Championships for their schools, it makes one think about their own personal accomplishments. As an athlete, watching these elite competitors put everything on the line after a long and grueling season, it is truly inspiring to think of all the time, effort and commitment these athletes have put into their sport. It begs the question: why bother?
Well, sports are an interesting topic. Some people are insanely obsessed with watching them, knowing every stat, every player, playing them and competing; while others simply don’t see why sports are so incredible. It takes a certain type of person to not only play a sport but also to be an effective and outstanding athlete.
Whether you play a team sport or an individual sport, any game teaches incredible lessons that have the ability to shape an individual into something they never thought they could be on and off the field, court, rink, or wherever you play. It’s not in the big moments like Kris Jenkins’ buzzer beater 3 that ultimately won the Wildcats the game. Yes, on the scoreboard it finished off the game -- but the truth is that they won that game in all the moments of their season leading up to those very last seconds. The effortlessness in Jenkins’ swish didn’t just happen by accident, it was from all the hard work, repetition, concentration and confidence he had to take and make that shot. And every single one of those qualities, I’d bet, did not come from nowhere, but it did come from all the preparation.
Jenkins will go down in basketball history for making that shot. It was an incredible execution by the entire team, and big moments like that are the ones that make all the early mornings, late nights, and long days worth it. We don’t practice so hard to come up second best, we play to win -- and the idea is if you’re going to do it, be the best. Breanna Stewart probably didn't love running sprints for every season of basketball she has ever played, but she probably does love the now four rings she has as a collegiate athlete that serve as a reminder that she is a champion.
Even if you’re not an athlete or not training for your sport and you just want to live a healthy lifestyle, it's in all the moments that you prepare to lead up to whatever you are aiming for that make the difference. In every extra rep, in every pound you add on the bench, for every inch you get lower in that squat, for every second you add onto that plank; you have the opportunity to decide what you really want. As many times as someone can tell you to do something, it’s the work you put in and the way you not only train your body but your mind that is going to change you as a player and a person. Changing your mindset and inner thoughts is probably one of the hardest things to do; your own body is capable of so many things if you don’t fear success, but rather chase it. Holding that plank until the timer goes off instead of ending with 3-seconds left, or taking those extra foul shots at the end of practice, or running that extra lap -- the decision to finish, and to do it for yourself and your goals, is what makes you a winner. Not only did Jenkins just cement himself into basketball history -- which is pretty cool if you ask me -- but he validated everything he’s been working towards for so long, which makes him a champion.
My advice, for when you find yourself tired, or sore, or losing faith is to remember why we play. Do it for yourself, do it for your team, do it for your coach, your family, friends, the people who ever doubted you and the little kid sitting in the stands, because it’s not going to last forever. All those “tomorrows” will eventually be gone. So remember why we as athletes do what we do -- to love the game we play, to accomplish all our goals for ourselves, to never tap-out, to live as champions.
This is why we play.
