A lot of people don't care about sports. They don't have an interest. And that's ok. It's the people that say sports don't have value that are dead wrong. The people that just see a game that truly are ignorant.
Sports have taught me more about life than anything I've learned anywhere else. Sports have taught me discipline. They have taught me passion. Sports have taught me how to fail and succeed. Sports have taught me that life is unfair. They have taught me how to be knocked down to my lowest point and to come back ten times stronger. I am a leader and a teammate because of sports. Sports gave me family. Sports truly define who I am and I am forever grateful for all that they have given me.
Growing up I was often unsure of who I was. But in sports, I was always my best. On the track or on the soccer field - I was confident, committed, and engaged. I always knew I was the best, I worked the hardest, and I was present in creating a future. Even when I got to college - at a D1 school - when I was among 100 other people who were also the best - I never doubted myself.
Being part of a team - being accountable to my team, my coaches, myself - instilled in me a work ethic that is unrivaled. It created in me a need to excel, a comradery that bonded me to my teammates as family, and ensured I could never give up because it meant letting these people down.
As an adult (ish) in the working world - my experiences in sports have carried into my success in business. I wholeheartedly believe that if you put me against a candidate who was not involved in sports - I am 100% of the time a better choice. I am dedicated, passionate, loyal, and I know how to problem solve, fail, and make a comeback better than most.
A lot of people don't understand the importance of sports. And to that - I say - of course you don't, you're not part of this team. Unless you've lived this life - it doesn't make sense to you. But make no mistake - whether you believe in it or not - sports are powerful. The skills they provide, the warriors they build - they're real.
Sports have defined my life and who I am more than anything else I've experienced. The people affecting me the most are my fellow teammates, coaches, and other athletes in this world. I am who I am because of Athletics and I am forever grateful for that.