A midst all the negativity on social media this week, scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed I came across articles, pictures, and videos of a few friends’ athletic and academic successes. My involvement in volleyball, track and field and basketball in high school allowed me to connect with a diverse group of athletes from different backgrounds and cultures. Along with the athletes I met in high school, I was able to build relationships with people from different sports teams during my college career. With a close sports community in my hometown and at Eastern, most achievements are acknowledged and shared on social media. Being able to see these from 3,000 miles away brings me so much happiness.
Recently I read an article about one of my friends receiving athletic awards for his final season as a college athlete. After watching his growth from high school to college, I was able to see all of the hours spent practicing and working out pay off. Another former athlete from my high school just scored his first NFL touchdown the other day. These are just a few of the achievements I’ve heard about recently but there are many more from my hometown and university that have been shared throughout social media.
To see athletes overcome injuries and adversity and continue to push on is inspiring to not only me, but our youth. We have to be positive role models, proving that if you work hard both on and off the court or field that anything is possible. The youth are our future, for us to teach them, we have to lead by example. I’m proud of all my fellow athletes out there demonstrating characteristic qualities of great teammates and leaders. I hope to continue hearing about the positive impact that each one has on their team and the community as a whole.
