100 and Under
5 Lessons That 15 Years of Organized Sports Has Taught Me
Some Sports May Seem Barbaric At First Glance. But, If You Pay Attention, You May Learn Something.
The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.
— Babe Ruth
Can you think of a time when you felt closer to someone than when you suited up and went into battle? Ancient Rome might be gone, but there is still a way to experience that bond again. Sports are the gateway to lifelong lessons and relationships. Whether you’re on the bench cheering or leading the team on the field, there’s a place for you.
Younger Years
I became involved in sports at a tender young age. I started lifting weights when I was 11 years old. I participated in multiple youth basketball leagues with older and younger people. Rarely do I miss an opportunity to play football with the kids in the schoolyard. I liked to keep myself busy with athletics, as it was therapeutic for me.
Transition to Organized Sports
Once I started high school, nothing changed except for the addition of school work. Grade school assignments weren’t too tricky because I am pretty intelligent. However, I attended an academically rigorous high school in America, The Haverford School For Boys. Group project deadlines, research papers, midterms, and finals added a sometimes unmanageable amount of work.
Balancing the workload with sports was challenging. Sports participation was a requirement in my school, so there was no way around it. Students were either in season or catching up on school work. Frequently I would have to rely on out-of-season classmates to finish assignments. While they picked up the slack for my absence, I was off the practice.
Transitioning to high school athletics practice took some time. Before then, I had never followed a structured routine when practicing. Not to mention the increased size and speed of the high school kids multiplies the challenge. I wasn’t exactly small; however, I would need to do some growing before competing.
My Epiphany
One of the most shocking things I realized during my tenure was how alike everybody was. I grew up in the city, and the Haverford School was in a suburban area. The Haverford School is relatively affluent in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Preconceived notions filled my head before attending, thanks to my upbringing. It was not until I walked the halls that I realized my mistake.
Interactions with my teammates soon taught me that although I come from a less fortunate background, I’m not that different from them. Moreover, they’re not as unimposing as I thought they’d be. Some of them were stronger than me. Is one of our track athletes made it to the Penn relays, A wrestler conquered all the major high school tournaments, and a linebacker made it to the NFL.
Our school produces many athletic specimens, but some unassuming students caught my eye. One is our senior kicker Jack Soslow. Soslow wasn’t the biggest, nor was he the fastest, But he had a boot. Seeing one of the “rich kids” possess such a talent caught me off guard. I initially thought people needed years of practice before someone could have a skill like that. Soslow disproved that theory because he started playing football his senior year.
College Athletics taught me more of the same lessons that I learned in high school. For time sake, this article will not dive into my college career. However, I will share the lessons I learned throughout those years of organized competition. These lessons change the way I see the world, and hopefully, they do the same for you
- Everybody is the same
Aside from wealth or physical stature, everyone is more or less the same. Everyone has the same emotions, the same problems, or the same goals. Playing for a common objective allows people to bond better and realize their similarities.
People often fail to realize that the right circumstances can bring two polar opposite personalities. While at Haverford, I never thought I would be a part of a crowd with a “better” background. Yet, I blended in like an iguana, and I still have friends from there to this day.
2. Nothing holds back someone determined.
Injuries are devastating to an athlete’s career. Whether it is a torn ACL or a dislocated shoulder afterward, you will not be the same. Resilience is a necessary skill if success is your goal. Without resilience, your physical prime passes you by, leaving more questions than answers.
I apply this lesson to both life and sports. I dislocated my shoulder four times in high school in sports but still had a successful collegiate sports career. In life, there are many times where my car broke down, or a job fell through, or a trade I made on the stock market failed. All I can do is brush myself off and try again.
3. There are no small contributions.
Any effort that someone gives towards a goal is significant. From starting QB to the water person, everyone has an important job. Attempting to do too much is where most people fall short.
I used to believe in a class system in competition. Quarterbacks are more important than running backs; heavyweight wrestlers are more critical than lightweight wrestlers, throwers are more vital than runners. The truth is they’re all important because they contribute to the main goal, which is winning.
Employees today might think that their role is not necessary when in fact, the foundation of most companies. It is unwise for you to want to be an employee for all of your life, but it’s more foolish to think employees don’t matter. The person who delivers the package is just as important as the person who made the route. If neither person contributes, then boxes are not going to be delivered.
4. Details matter.
The devil is in the details is a phrase that couldn’t be more true. Attention to detail is a skill that is useful in many areas. However, it becomes evident in sports when someone has missed the finer points of their strategy. Blown coverages, strikeouts, missed pick-and-rolls, etc., are all the results of missed details. Paying attention saves timeouts on the court, touchdowns on the field, and goals on the turf.
My life is full of minute details that require your attention. As I drive for Uber, I will often have to change lanes or stop suddenly due to traffic. There are no do-overs in life, and you can’t call timeout right before a head-on collision. So I’m glad I trained myself to pay attention to the finer details when the consequences weren’t as dire.
5. Sports make deeper connections between people.
Going into battle with someone breeds a relationship that sometimes rivals family ties. Although nobody will die, there is still a sense of dread when preparing to compete. Locker rooms house some of the most incredible emotional responses and experiences. Grown adults will cry like babies, throw tantrums like toddlers, and embrace each other like brother and sister.
I have yet to make a stronger bond than the one I made with my teammates. It is a bond that will extend far beyond the arena. It will spill into life when one of my teammates asks for help with a business venture or financial troubles. I will always have their back through both success and failure.
