Participating in sports involves far more than just physical strength and a healthy diet. In order to be a great athlete, one needs to have a lot of motivation and dedication to their sport. Just last week, the New York City marathon took place, and more than 50,000 people participated. The average time for runners to finish was four and a half hours with the top runners finishing the race in over two hours.
Whether running a marathon or hitting a home run in high school baseball, being good at a sport requires hard work and commitment. All athletes are looking to achieve a goal. Sports teach every athlete that in order to reach their potential, they must show dedication and a strong work ethic. Most importantly, an athlete must believe that he or she can reach his or her goal. Involving oneself in a sport can also build leadership qualities. It is important to motivate one’s teammates and inspire them to believe they can reach their goals as well. If each individual athlete works hard, the team benefits as a whole. As Vince Lombardi, a famous football coach once said, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”
Heritage recognizes the importance of sports in building character and emphasizes teamwork by allowing all students to participate in any activity offered by the school. Any student is able to join a team because of the no-cut policy at the school. This policy teaches the importance of physical fitness among players. It also creates a bond among the students and the coaches of the team because students work together to improve, and the coaches work to help them.
Whether playing soccer or participating in a marathon, athletes work toward individual and group goals. Individual goals include improving physical health and breaking a personal record. Group goals include succeeding as a team and bringing home the trophy. Whatever your goal, the best way to achieve it is through hard work and dedication.
