“Adversity introduces a man to himself.” That quote by Albert Einstein has stuck with me since the day I first heard it. As a student-athlete, I know that sports can cause more adversity than many other experiences, serving as a great teacher for life. Because in life, like sports, we face adversity. Whether from a tough loss or an injury, every sports team will face adversity during a season. It is not about what happens during the adversity-filled moment that reveals one’s character, but rather what happens after it.
Nothing shows that more than what happened to our basketball team this season. Trailing by one point with 10 seconds left in a playoff semi-final game in which we had made a furious comeback, the refs missed a crucial call. That one call would have given us two foul shots and the ball back. Instead of this opportunity to pull ahead, retain possession, and possibly head to the championship game, the ball was awarded to our opponent and we ended up losing by three. There was no doubt that the refs missed the call; everyone in the gym knew it. We felt we were robbed of a chance to play for a championship. Our season was over.
My teammates and I now are facing the task of coming back from our adversity: this devastating loss. It is clear to see that our guys are determined to right the wrong and return stronger than ever next season. The fire from that loss is still burning inside every single player. We all know the only way to come to peace with last season is to win the championship next year. This continues to drive us as we are already preparing for next season.
To paraphrase Einstein’s quote, we do not really know ourselves until we face adversity. It truly can make or break a person. Adversity prepares us for life and all of the twists and turns life can throw at us. It may seem silly to think just because a person has played a sport that they will handle adversity better, but I truly believe that is the case.