The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching. ~Anson Dorrance
One of my professors this week gave us an extra credit assignment dealing with Sports Heroes. For someone who doesn't know much about sports, I was surprised to find so many people to look up to and admire in the sports community.
I discovered many who were inspirational, not just for amazing athletic abilities but for qualities that transcend sports, such as the courage to make a difference in the world around them.
Below is the assignment I was given.
List 5 persons You Consider Sports Heroes
Besides just being great players/coaches they were
brave, courageous and overcame 'greater than average' obstacles and sacrificed for
the greater good.
Pat Tillman ~ Football
After the 911 attack, he
sacrificed his football career to serve his country. Turned down a $3.6 million
contract to serve. He died while serving on a tour in Afghanistan.
"It doesn't do me any good to be proud. It's better to just force myself to be naive about things, because otherwise I'll start being happy with myself, and then I'll stand still, and then I'm old news." ~Pat Tillman
Jackie Robinson ~ Baseball
Overcame racial
discrimination, helped pave the way for others. He broke down walls of
segregation that locked black Americans out of professional sports.
"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." ~Jackie Robinson
John Wooden ~ Basketball
(player and coach)
Considered one of the best
coaches to ever live. Man of wisdom and extremely devoted to his faith,
wife, and country. He didn’t just play well but went on to ‘teach’ others to be
successful…not just with basketball but with life. He promoted education not just
sports.
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. ~John Wooden
"I have always tried to make it clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior." ~John Wooden
Tom Landry ~ Football
(player and coach)
One of America’s most
beloved coaches. Man of integrity and devoted to his faith and family. Even
after being unfairly fired he reacted with integrity.
"Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you're in control, they're in control." ~Tom Landry
Wilma Rudolph ~ Running
She overcame obstacles of
gender, race, poverty and physical handicap to become the first
American woman to win three gold medals in the Olympics. This achievement led her
to become one of the most celebrated female athletes of all time. In addition,
her celebrity caused gender barriers to be broken in previously all-male track
and field events.
“My doctor told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother. “ ~Wilma Rudolph
This can be any of us!
And here's one more video of an athlete that has inspired me not to give up. It's not always about winning, but whether or not we finish the race.
"How long should you try? Until." ~Jim Rohn
Let me guess, this is a Chorba class you're taking, lol. Good list, can't argue with any of them and they're all heroes. I was surprised that Wilma Rudolph was a name that's unfamiliar to me, especially considering her obstacles and achievements.
ReplyDeleteYes it's a Chorba class! lol It's been a long full week of assignments AND I had some writer's block so I figured this assignment would work for a post. I didn't know about Rudolph either until I did some research for this assignment and was pretty impressed that she overcame so much.
ReplyDeleteOh I have to say I used to take his MM100 last semester:) He is a interesting one, really.
ReplyDeleteThough people on your list are not my familiar ones, (lol, probably because of cultural differece), I enjoy reading those stories from sports' hero. They challenge the records, the human's potentials, and themselves again and again.