University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA BRUINS - Athletics News
April 17, 2013 | Football
|
A Strong Foundation
November 7, 2001
Staying focused in spite of tough times is easier said then done. After losing two games in a row, the team finds themselves in unfamiliar waters. Any time a team is in a situation like this, it can go either one of two ways ? it can keep the team from losing its focus or to get back on the right track. A feat such as this is going to take the experience and the maturity of the veterans ... more importantly the seniors. The seniors are the ones that are going to have to convey to the team that there still are plenty of things to play for. Though such incentives as a perfect season, a chance at a national championship, a dominant team on both sides of the ball, and so on and so forth are no longer feasible; the incentive that trumps all others still exists. It is this incentive that players must focus on in order to win the next few games. The incentive that I am talking about is the idea of love, which exists in every player that plays and competes. In many cases it is difficult for a player to answer the question, "why you play the game?" Some players play for goals, others play for awards, and some play with visions of dollar signs. It is hard sometimes to figure out why players are playing the game, and even harder to see why they don't play. But the bottom line is that every player, whether a starter or scout, freshman or senior, plays the game because they love the game. It is this love that allows the players to work with smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts even though their bodies are covered in sweat and blood as their lungs grasp for air. They lovingly pay attention to every detail so that they can never say, "they weren't prepared for the game". It is this love that allows a player to willingly experience pain and sorrow in order to feel victory and pride. When people say, "those guys there, they eat and drink football", they're not lying. It is love that causes players to talk about what they do, read about it, search the Internet for it, and teach it to others ... they dream about it. When you love to do something, your body and soul are driven by a passion that forces you to give your all for your "love'. A feeling of lust rises up in you when anything or anyone shows interest in what you do ... it is this warm feeling inside you that makes you say, "how good it is, how good it is'. Wherever you go or whoever you are, within the back of your mind all you can think about is doing what you love because it feels so good. This "love' is what players must remember and focus on. We love to play the game and we love to win, thus nothing else should matter but enjoying what we love to do and do it as best we can. This is all we can control; yet if we do this we will reap the rewards of our love. Bible verse of the week: Proverbs 13:4 |
