Reflect, Accept, Adapt and Respond.
Reflect, Accept, Adapt, Respond. By themselves these words may not seem like they carry much importance, but together they demonstrate a winning and successful approach to sports, school, and life. I have heard all of these words throughout my lifetime but have never understood the true meaning and importance of them. Being able to apply each word is important if you miss a step; you may not achieve your desired outcomes. Every student athlete and team will go through some struggles. Whether these problems are in the classroom, on the field, or on the court, being able to Reflect, Accept, Adapt, and Respond is what creates success on and off the field.
Injuries are one of the toughest challenges an athlete can face, but it is the ultimate test for an athlete's character and mental toughness. Last year during the first game of the season I hurt my hamstring and was devastated. All the work I put in during the offseason, and I could not even finish the first game of the season. At first, I was just frustrated and decided I had to get right back on the field. This plan did not work at all and my rehab was delayed. This is when I truly bought into the theme Reflect, Accept, Adapt, Respond. When I found out I was going to miss some time, I knew I had to change my view and mindset. I decided to Reflect and understand that maybe I did not stretch enough or take care of my body effectively after practices, especially in the cold. Then I had to Accept that I was hurt and that I could not rush right back on the field. I knew my role was going to be different than what I was used to, and that was okay. I then had to Adapt and find other ways to help my team out. I decided I was going to be a great teammate on the sidelines and during practice, making sure I was talking to every player that was coming off the field. This gave me a whole new perspective, and I knew I was still contributing to the team. When my injury got better, I knew it was now time to Respond. I knew I now had to take better care of my body and all the frustration I had from games missed I could now use as motivation to succeed on the field.
The rest of the season I had a stronger mindset: overcoming adversity came naturally, knowing my team and I could overcome any setback. As a team, we went through tons of adversity. At the start of the season, we got off to a slow start, not having a great out of conference record. As a team we Reflected, Accepted, Adapted, and Responded. We then won every conference game and the fourth conference championship in a row, made it past the first round of the NCAA tournament, and battled hard against one of the best teams in the country in the next round.
Every student athlete and team goes through hardships, but every successful student athlete and team understands that it is a process to get through those hardships. Going into next season, my team and I know the mindset we must have Reflect, Accept, Adapt, and Respond. Go Royals!
Colin Giarrusso, Men's Lacrosse
