To my daughter, who plays sports

To my daughter, who plays sports,

I love that you play sports.  I love watching you play.  I love watching you practice.  I love when you ask us about different things involving sports including, ‘Who is the best player right now,’ or ‘Why are they passing so much,’ or ‘Who is your favorite player ever,’ among many other questions.  I love seeing how you interact with your teammates.  I love seeing your confidence on the court and field, and I really love seeing you carry that confidence away from the game and into school and everyday life.  I love how competitive you are.  I love when you cry when you lose because it shows that you care.  I love how hard that you go at everything that you do, and I love that the work you put in to get better for sports has taught you that if you want to be good at anything, you have to be willing to put in the work.

I love that I get to share my passion for sports with you.  My parents loved sports and gave me that same love, and I am happy to pass that down to you.  Outside of family, sports has played the biggest role in my life.  The games, the practices, watching it on TV, traveling around the world – sports has given me so much, and I am glad that you are starting to see just a small part of what sports can do for you.

Remember that sports are fun and they are a competition, and you always have to find the right balance.  That means you have to come with energy and enthusiasm and positivity and a willingness to work hard.  Enjoying it and having fun is what keeps you going and is what keeps you coming back.  Always remember to enjoy the process.  But always remember to work hard!  Working hard is what keeps you good against the competition.  There are always other kids working and practicing just like you, so you have to stay ready for that.

As fun as sports are, they are hard as well.  I have cried a lot of tears over sports.  I have lost a lot. I have missed more shots than I have taken.  I have turned the ball over, I have been embarrassed, and I have been beaten.  I have been turned down and turned away.  But I also have bounced back every time.  That is the key – bouncing back.  Learning from your mistakes and learning from your losses.  Not being afraid to mess up because the mistakes really don’t matter.  What really matters are the lessons.  If you learn something new every day from sports then you will continue to get better.

I encourage you to always find enjoyment in the process, even when it is not fun.  Find ways to push yourself a little harder, and then find ways to relax and recover.  Enjoy getting better.  Enjoy working hard.  Enjoy winning.  Cry when you lose then enjoy learning the lessons that come from it and enjoy coming back better.  Love your coaches.  Love your teammates.  Respect your coaches and respect your teammates.  They both will help you become the best that you can be.  Listen to your coaches when they speak.  Give them eye contact.  Do what they ask the first time, then help others do the same.  Say thank you after every practice and mean it.  They are spending time away from their own daughters helping you, so show them and tell them how much you appreciate it. 

Help others, serve others, but don’t back down from anyone.  You might not be the biggest, tallest, and fastest, but you can be the toughest and the hardest worker.  If you are the toughest and never quit, you will always be okay.  

Respect the referees.  Respect your opponents.  Respect the game and respect the work that it takes to become good and then great.

Find a way to bring value to every team that you are on.  It might be scoring.  It might be passing.  It might be the hustle person that gets the ball back when your team loses it.  It might be the towel waiver from the bench!  Whatever your role is, bring value to the team.  This will help you in life.

Most importantly, keep God first.  God has a plan for you.  If you do right by God, you will do right by people and you will be blessed.  Be loyal and kind in all things and you do.

Good luck on YOUR journey.  Daddy loves you, and daddy is always here for you.

Love, Daddy