Athleticism Includes Mental Acuity and Toughness

I will never forget watching my 12-year-old teammate on our All-Star baseball team being beaned in the neck as I stood in the on-deck circle. My 10-year-old eyes couldn't believe what I had seen, and my heart was about to leap back into the dugout.

Sports have those moments where every ounce of an athlete's being is crying "No! Don't do it!", but the man, woman, boy, or girl rises up and accomplishes the unthinkable.

We are spoiled by the "Plays of the Day" or "Top Ten Web Gems" as the magnificent feats of athletics become common place.

As a veteran Youth Minister, I have long argued that young people today are not as mentally tough as those who have gone before.

One football coach said several players would fall to the field and start crying if they were hit very hard. That's right. And, he was referring to his high school varsity team.

So, let me throw some scenarios at you, from various sports, and let you pick which one is the most challenging situation:

1. You are standing at the free throw line with no time left on the clock. The game is tied. You missed your first shot, and now you receive the ball for your second.

2. It's bottom of the ninth. There are two outs and the bases are loaded. You are pitching to your opponent's toughest batter with a full count. You look for the sign and begin your wind up.

3. The other team has used their final timeout. They are obviously trying to ice your potential winning field goal from 45 yards with 3 seconds left on the clock.

4.  You step into the octagon to face one of the world's greatest Mixed Martial Arts fighters. He has battered his last four opponents with hard punches, submission holds, and brutal kicks.

5. The U.S. Open Golf Championship is only four feet away from your grasp. Your golf ball is above the hole on a lightning fast green.

A made putt for birdie will win the title, but an overly aggressive putt, that goes several feet past the cup, can mean a risk at losing the chance for even a tie.

Each situation demands a type of athleticism that is fine-tuned and well-rehearsed. However, the mental fortitude and belief in execution, needed in each example, can turn cowards into champions.

By the way, how did I do with that huge 12-year-old pitcher, who had nearly scared me to tears? I swung that Little League bat with all my might at his barely visible fastball and cracked an opposite field single; the only hit of the day for our team.

I am tough...I think.