Athletics. For some it’s just something to do after school to occupy their time so they’re not bored after class ends. While for others, myself included, it is a way of life. We eat, breathe and sleep our sport and will do anything to become one of the best. Whether it’s on the track, on the field or wherever you may compete, with every game and practice we learn valuable lessons that we take on with us for the rest of our lives.

Everybody makes mistakes.

How you learn and respond from these mistakes shows your true character and determines the outcome of your next attempt.

Throughout my entire freshman year, I’ve had an issue of hitting the board when it came to my triple jump. This was one mistake I had for a while. I used to dwell on the fact that because I am not hitting the board like I’m supposed to I will not be getting the distances I am striving for. However, watching some of the best jumpers in the area having the same issues made me realize that everyone makes mistakes. Nobody is perfect, but all you can do is practice, practice, practice and everything will soon fall into place.

Believe in yourself.

Having a positive outlook and faith in your abilities can make the difference you were looking for.

Personally, I am not the biggest guy on my track team. Because of this, I never really had faith in myself. I never thought that I could be one of the best because I don’t have some of the muscle mass like the others on my team. This mindset not only affected the way I saw myself but also affected the way I was preforming. Then I remembered what my coach told me one day at conferences when I was in this mindset: “I recruited you for a reason.” My coach had enough faith in my abilities to take the time to make sure I was on this team, so why didn’t I have the faith to show him that he was right? Not being the biggest on my team shouldn’t have had that big of an effect on my mindset as it did. I realized that I needed to stop comparing myself to everyone else because I am not everyone else. I know that I’m good at what I do and I need to recognize that. In the end that mindset change helped me place second in PAC 2016 championships.

Leadership is key.

No matter the title or role you are given, there is always a way to use your individual leadership skills.

Every team usually has a captain, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones that can lead your team to success. Even if you are not a captain or someone of that status on the team, you can always lead by example. The opportunity to lead in athletics exist everywhere. You may not see it but someone on the team is looking at you as a leader because of how you present yourself and the effort you put into every practice and game. The same goes for outside the athletic life. The opportunity to lead those in front of you is essentially endless. You just need to find your moment.

Your team isn’t just your team, they're family.

Even when you’re away from your family, you’re still with your family.

We all have been given the biggest blessing of all when it comes to athletics. Sure the wins are nice, but sharing those with the ones next to you who helped you achieve the goal you all were striving for is even better. Cherish these individuals. The love and support from your team teaches you structure and compatibility that WILL be successful in your future relationships.

I owe a lot to Geneva College Track and Field. The lessons I have learned and the lessons I will learn from these individuals will benefit me in the future for when I trade my uniform in for a suit and a tie.