Lessons from Childhood Sports

I've played organized sports since I was 8 years old - 13 years of football, 7 years of rugby, 6 years of baseball, 3 years of tennis, and 2 years of track. Although I haven't played a team sport since 30, I value the lessons I had from the experience. Here are a few of the lessons:

Do my best - I played hard in practice and on game day. Whether we won or lost, I gave the game my best.

Have fun - I wanted to enjoy the sports I was playing. If I didn't, I would finish the season and not play the following year. There were lots of things that made a sport fun: camaraderie, playing, exercise and learning.

Be a good winner - Win gracefully. Enjoy the win and don't taunt opponents, celebrate too much or become over confident.

Rebound from setbacks - After a loss, there is always tomorrow, next week or next year. Don't become too concerned with a specific loss or setback..

My best sports experience was high school football. I became one of two first freshmen starters on a varsity football team in our county, on a team that went 2-7-1. After that tough start, we rebounded. In the succeeding years, we were 7-2-1, 11-2 (state runner-up), 11-1 (state champions). Each year reinforced the above lessons and gave me memories that I will never forget.

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This is not financial or sports advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

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