Apathy and passion
Jesse Kueker
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: Sports
Apathy is a deadly emotion capable of tearing down any athletic team straight to the ground. We cannot escape the presence of apathy - it is all around us. Most will not even finish this column because of apathy. We simply do not care sometimes, or we lose the passion we once held for former objectives to new realities. Like moist heat is to bacteria, so is individualism to apathy; it breeds it.
My senior year in high school at the state cross country meet I collapsed with 50 meters to go. I was diagnosed with kidney failure and was hospitalized for three days. My sophomore year in college I ran myself into a stress fracture in my left femur that led to three months of rest only to run myself into the same injury my junior year with an identical remedy.
After repeated severe injuries coupled with the surmounting miles of road crossed throughout the years, I began to question whether or not I should finish my senior year of running, or just simply give up. I had stopped caring.
There comes a point in every athlete's journey when a sense of deeper commitment begins to be questioned. Why am I really competing in this sport? Have I really given it all that I have or am I just settling for the talent I naturally possess? Lastly, if I were to stop today would I have any regrets?
Someone once said, "Americans are great starters, full of life and vitality, but finishing is a completely different arena - one [Americans] don't venture into very often."
So why do you play soccer? Why football, or basketball? Why do you run 15 miles a day and smile? Is it really worth all of the hours, pain, and sweat to play tennis? You would think four years of volleyball or softball would be more than enough in high school. Are you not burned out yet?
All of these questions strike the apathetic chord that lies deep within our American-bred individualism. Do not give into its slothful temptation. Train, compete and push hard throughout your college career because of community. When left to fight for ourselves, it is all too easy for us to fall into a "me-first" way of thinking. Like Jesus is to death, so is community to apathy; it defeats it.
Within community lies sacrifice and teamwork. Every team on campus has leaders who sacrifice their own desires or athletic goals for the sake of the team. I choose to compete for SBU in track one last time not because I want to be a good example to others or because it was the "right" decision. I choose it because I realized deep within a God-given passion for community and the talents God has freely given.
Let us all finish strong the race that is before us and persevere in the things God has blessed us with so we have no regrets.
My senior year in high school at the state cross country meet I collapsed with 50 meters to go. I was diagnosed with kidney failure and was hospitalized for three days. My sophomore year in college I ran myself into a stress fracture in my left femur that led to three months of rest only to run myself into the same injury my junior year with an identical remedy.
After repeated severe injuries coupled with the surmounting miles of road crossed throughout the years, I began to question whether or not I should finish my senior year of running, or just simply give up. I had stopped caring.
There comes a point in every athlete's journey when a sense of deeper commitment begins to be questioned. Why am I really competing in this sport? Have I really given it all that I have or am I just settling for the talent I naturally possess? Lastly, if I were to stop today would I have any regrets?
Someone once said, "Americans are great starters, full of life and vitality, but finishing is a completely different arena - one [Americans] don't venture into very often."
So why do you play soccer? Why football, or basketball? Why do you run 15 miles a day and smile? Is it really worth all of the hours, pain, and sweat to play tennis? You would think four years of volleyball or softball would be more than enough in high school. Are you not burned out yet?
All of these questions strike the apathetic chord that lies deep within our American-bred individualism. Do not give into its slothful temptation. Train, compete and push hard throughout your college career because of community. When left to fight for ourselves, it is all too easy for us to fall into a "me-first" way of thinking. Like Jesus is to death, so is community to apathy; it defeats it.
Within community lies sacrifice and teamwork. Every team on campus has leaders who sacrifice their own desires or athletic goals for the sake of the team. I choose to compete for SBU in track one last time not because I want to be a good example to others or because it was the "right" decision. I choose it because I realized deep within a God-given passion for community and the talents God has freely given.
Let us all finish strong the race that is before us and persevere in the things God has blessed us with so we have no regrets.
Be the first to comment on this story