This was not the ending to the season that we wanted. None of this went as planned. We wanted a chance to compete in the playoffs, and see how far we could go. We all had hopes of doing well, and for our eighth grade teams and our seniors, it was their last chance to represent their school on the court and field. We wanted to celebrate the end of the season together, as a team, and as a family, like we have done for so many years. We wanted to give a proper send off to our graduating players.
But, our season came to an abrupt end. None of those things came to be, and there wasn’t anything we could do about it. If it were a movie, this is where the power goes out, the volcano explodes, the hurricanes hit, and disaster is inevitable. However, like any disaster, we will pick up the pieces, figure out what we can do, and we will keep going forward. For all of you, especially our graduating class, your 2020 year is going to be defined as a lost season. It may even feel like a lost year. It will certainly be a year that is filled with sadness and anger.
One of the hardest things we have all had to cope with was the loss of seeing each other, in person, everyday. It’s so easy to take it for granted to see someone you love in person, to be able to give them a hug or handshake, and just be in each other’s presence. It’s like we lost our community, our family. It’s the brotherhood and sisterhood that you all shared with your teammates. We went from seeing each other, playing against each other, and playing for each other everyday to suddenly not playing at all. It’s like we were all pulled away from our families, and it hurts.
However, we are strong, and we are resilient. This is one of the reasons why we play sports, because it teaches us how to respond to adversity. We miss shots and lose games all the time, but how we respond defines us as athletes and as individuals within our team. A favorite quote of mine is, “we don’t lose, we learn.” Did you get scored on? You’ll play harder defense next time. Did you miss your shot? Shoot again until it goes in. We work in the off-season to refine our skills and we work with our coaches and teammates during the season to create the best version of ourselves we can be. When something is not working, we don’t keep doing it, we find a better way, and this usually means we need to ask for help. But we don’t lose, we learn.
Another reason so many of us love to participate in sport is because it gives a glimpse of how the world should be. Sport is inherently fair; the rules are the same for everyone. No one gets an advantage or head start. Everyone has equal opportunity, the way we wish it was in real life. Someone’s skin color or where they are from does not matter, everyone is equal under the rules. We respect athletes for their work ethic, drive, and sportsmanship the same way we respect people for their actions and moral constitution. For the most part, the referees do their best job to officiate the game in a fair and consistent manner, which is what we expect of law enforcement. The rules of the game should be fair for everyone, the way that the law should be fair to everyone. We trust our coaches because they are trying to do the best with a sound strategy, they truly care about our wellbeing, and they share in our victory and defeat. I wish politicians felt more like that. Sport simultaneously gives us a break from reality while also showing us a vision and giving us examples of how life could be in a fair society.
We know that sport has literally changed the world. The nation of South Africa was in the midst of civil war after apartheid, yet Nelson Mandela used rugby as a way to unify his country through racial tension. Muhammad Ali used his platform as one of the greatest boxers of all time to stand against the Vietnam War and the common practice of working class whites and minorities being the vast majority drafted, and he went to jail for it. Billie Jean King used a tennis match to symbolize the struggle of women’s rights by giving a concrete example of women being just as good as men on the court. Magic Johnson raised awareness for HIV and AIDS and changed the perception of millions. Jackie Robinson endured. Jessie Owens endured. Jack Johnson endured. Arthur Ashe endured. Althea Gibson endured. They, along with so many others, continued when the odds were stacked against them, to not only endure, but flourish as a testament to their human spirit. They provide inspiration to billions through sport.
You are all in a unique position in history right now. This year is a true test of your mental strength, determination, and character. Sport can strengthen these attributes through teamwork, sportsmanship, and competition. The virtues of sportsmanship mimics what makes a successful life; and this is why adults want their children to play sports. Practices and games present obstacles to overcome in bite size pieces, which will enable the student-athlete to handle the big stuff later in life. The year of 2020 seems to be hitting you with one big challenge after another, and we didn’t expect you to need this much resilience this soon in your young life.
We are going to have to employ one of the most important tenets of sportsmanship to get through these tough times: value the long term over the short term. The short-term reality is sports were cancelled for the remainder of the year. We may miss big chunks of the season next year. In the world, we are social distancing to combat a virus, and we have protests and riots against institutionalized racism and the loss of black lives. These intense times will not last forever. Athletics and sports will come back. Eventually Covid will pass as we come up with a vaccine and a herd immunity is sufficiently built up among society. We hope that these protests, made up of a wide coalition of people, will be the tinder that lights the fire which changes society as a whole. Racism is a long-term problem, but every time we have taken a step back, we will take two steps forward.
Adults in your life will continue their best to be positive role models. We will create change not just with words, but with action. We will listen to those who need to be heard. We will continue to demand change by all means necessary. I am enthusiastic to see my student athletes and young adults around the country who fundamentally understand how to treat each other with fairness and grace, who congregate in social groups that go beyond traditional divisions. I am excited to see the world my son will grow up in and all the friends he will make along the way.
We will do better because of you.
You will ultimately decide how this story goes, for you are the champion of your own life. What does a champion do when they lose, when they get injured, when people need help, when things seem hopeless? Do what a champion does. Write down your goals, learn from your mistakes, help everyone you can, and keep going forward. Build momentum with each good decision that you make. You control your destiny through the choices you make today and everyday forward. Do what you can to create positive change, don’t worry about what you can’t control, and continue to put in the work. Choose to be inspired. When you become the champion of your own life, you fulfill Maria Montessori’s ultimate vision of children:
“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”