Stay in the Game

This was the ‘memo’ I set to Junior yesterday as he considered his future with or without athletics. 

Everything changes once a propensity is discovered. Once we find that we can, with a little focused effort, run fast, jump high, champion hand-eye coordination, throw, swim, quickly understand complex strategies, apply torque, balance our movements, follow orders, endue hardship, calm our emotions, bleed, compete, pledge allegiance to the team, commit and sustain an objective, everything changes. We get a spark and that spark can ignite the fire of life. Competition is as naturally hard-wired into or DNA as the survival drive. Fact is they are so connected that one might say, ‘compete or die’, and be close to unraveling one of the great mysteries of life. The enthusiasm that one brings to this arena creates an additional, advanced, understanding that to be authentically engaged in this monumental challenge is exhilarating, valuable and most importantly, absolutely satisfying and enjoyable. The personal quest to find our true nature through sports and the competitive imperative is a very private journey. We must visit our souls and asks hard questions. Why do I do this? What is my goal? What set of circumstances will temp me to quit? What are my strengths and weakness and do I have the courage to address the brutally honest answers my spirit delivers?

Yes, we do sports for the pure enjoyment of using our bodies as miraculously designed, to travel a magical path towards, not so much for the win, but for taking pride in our continual improvement, developing new skills and recruiting new partners and powerful allies along the way. Truly it is the hero’s journey. 

Our mission statement can be rendered to one simple goal. 

Stay in the game. That’s where the growth, the magic and the miracles are. 

Off to spin class, Sea-Tac and Sacramento to meet the Tour of California in Stockton for Stages 5,6 & 7. Cheers!