This post was a freelance piece originally written for Tambwoy.com.
Sports have taught me so much about myself over the years, and I am so thankful that the sports I played when I was younger have been able to shape many of my present day experiences. I have learned many lessons through sports, many of which have proven to be relevant and impactful in my day-to-day life.
I have realized that the attribute of teamwork is seamlessly interwoven between the sports world and the real world. Teamwork is a major aspect of pretty much all sports (even running, which may often be perceived as a solo sport.) In order to accomplish the shared goal of winning a game or advancing to the next level in their respective sport, players must work together in unison to execute their game plan or strategy.
Similarly, teamwork plays an enormous role in places like high school, college and the workplace. I have been able to draw upon my experiences of being a team player in sports and have applied them to activities such as group projects, or team meetings at my job. I cherish the value of teamwork and credit my sports-playing days for teaching me its importance, on and off the field.
I consider myself to be a very determined and motivated person, and I owe a lot of this to sports as well. During my high school cross country/track & field days, I was extremely determined to make the Varsity team, and pushed myself to become better so that I could attain this goal. I worked hard to increase my speed and become faster, and eventually earned my Varsity letter! Having a goal in mind made me extremely motivated, and this has definitely translated to present-day athletic and professional goals as well.
As much as I loved running in high school, I never would have imagined that just a few years out of college, I would tackle longer distances and run several half marathons. I’m still unsure how and when I got the idea to run 13.1 miles, but I do know that once the seed was planted, I was determined to do whatever it took to cross that finish line! I fell in love with running these longer distances, and it has even motivated me to start training for one of the most grueling distances: 26.2 miles, otherwise known as the marathon. I feel more determined than ever, and I know that my high-school runner self would be proud of where I’ve gotten today.
Sports continue to be a major part of my life, and I regularly recognize many parallels between my life as an athlete and my regular, everyday life experiences. This is why I believe so much in sports, and why I so strongly encourage younger generations to pursue them. Sports end up becoming way bigger than just the sports themselves...the lessons and values learned are unmatched and have the ability to stick with you for the rest of your life.