In the middle of my freshman year I began to question what the heck I was doing. I was getting limited practice reps and began to think, if I’m not getting reps, how am I supposed to get better which will get me on the court more to actually get reps. Many practices were me shagging volleyballs, guarding the video camera, doing push-ups or just being sent to the weight room.
Early in the season we had a big upset win and after the match we went to hang out as a team. When I walked in, a senior starter said, “Congrats on a the big win!” My response was somewhere along the lines of, “I didn’t do anything.” He came back with, “I see you grinding at practice, you are a part of this team and we win together.”
This was the first time in a long time that I felt seen. It was probably not just a turning point in my career but also my life. My definition of success was playing at practice, playing in matches, scoring points and winning. What I didn’t see was where I was actually succeeding. I was learning by watching, getting stronger, and helping the team by doing little things. I reevaluated and started to do the things I was tasked with to my best of my ability. That one moment lead to much greater moments down the road (see one below). That small exchange changed my path and it wouldn't have happened if it weren’t for Brenton Davis who helped me see my value and redefined what success really is.
Lessons:
Success often looks different than what it looks like through your current lens.
Leaders value everyone on their team.
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