1. “Great moments are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game. If we played ‘em 10 times, they might win 9, but not this game. Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can! Tonight, WE are the greatest hockey team in the world.” -Miracle
This quote reminds me of the toughest in-season game against the strongest opponent. It could be your school's rival team or the team that wins the championship year after the year. It's the game where your team is the underdog. This quote shows that with the right motivation, underdogs can prevail. This is important to note for collegiate sports; sometimes a team may be better than you; however, you can still win with heart, hard work, and dedication. Use their skill and expertise as an incentive to beat them. The worst thing is a team with a big ego, and I know as an athlete nothing is more satisfying than being the underdog and proving everyone wrong!
2. “Every man, at some point in his life, is going to lose a battle. He is going to fight and he is going to lose. But what makes him a man is that in the midst of that battle, he does not lose himself.” -Friday Night Lights
When I think of this quote, I think of persevering through an injury. No matter how in-shape or fit you are, athletes still get injured. While it is certainly tough on athletes, my opinion is that injuries can make athletes stronger. Once you're injured, the true test of character is how you come back from that injury. I faced a horrible injury (a torn ACL) and I set small incremental goals for my recovery. The mental battle is even tougher than the physical battle, as the quote says an athlete must never lose him/herself. This quote can also apply to losing games; a team that loses often may begin to become very negative. I encourage you to do the opposite; you must fight back against the losses and not let them define your team or you as a player.
3. “Let me tell you something kid; everybody gets one chance to do something great. Most people never take the chance, either because they're too scared, or they don't recognize it when it spits on their shoes.” -The Sandlot
In my first college game, I remember being terrified. Everything happened so fast it was hard to even catch my breath. I also remember at a certain point; I had to turn my fear into drive and determination. I had to remind myself that I was good enough to be on the field, just as good as the other 21 girls on the soccer field. I was recruited, just as they were, and I had played at a high level of competition pre-college. I recognized that playing college soccer was my chance to represent my team, my school and myself in the best way possible. Playing at the collegiate level is an amazing opportunity; don't discredit it. Take the chance and run fast with it; define your level of greatness and come to practice and game ready to reach your goals.
4. “If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book were gonna be winners.” -Hoosiers
Performance doesn't have to be based on just winning. I've played in some games where my team has lost, and my coach was still proud of our effort as a collective unit. I think winning can also be defined on an individual level. A player is winning if they finally try a new move they've been working on for weeks. A player is winning when they score their 100th goal in lacrosse, 1000th point in basketball, or hit their first home run. A player is winning when they come off of the bench and play in their first collegiate game. There are so many definitions of winning, so create your own, and once again you set the standard; therefore you must meet or surpass that standard. Working hard and improving are the best definitions of winning that can be enforced. Hard work, improvement and effort will make you stand out as a team, and one day might propel you into the National Championship.
5. “The greatest team you've never heard of has together missed out on 13 proms, 74 birthdays, 21 Thanksgivings and 989 boyfriends. And they don't regret it. They know why they give up these things. They know that game changing slide tackles and goals and championships and having a second family and doing it all for each other are the rewards. They know to put team above all else.” -USWNT
This quote, although not from a sports movie, is an important quote to me as an athlete. It talks about all of the things you sacrifice when you're an athlete to focus on your sport. Yes, balance is key, but there are bound to be times when you can't do something you want to do because of your sport. As an athlete, I always loved playing, but that didn't mean that I didn't hate missing out on other social engagements with my friends. The difference was, I knew that I had to be a dedicated player not only for myself but also for my teammates. If all team members aren't on the same page, success is nearly impossible. There were several games I played in that ended in blood, sweat, tears and goosebumps and those memories will always be important to me. I would never trade the things I gave up for everything valuable that my sport has given me throughout the years.
* Originally published on March 22, 2016, by Bryan Sosoo
