John Shearer's column, 516 words
Remembered as a Former Athlete?
By John Shearer
IPS Features
I recently went to Athens, Ga., to visit an old friend from the
University of Georgia. He started a new job last year and now works with my
former track coach in the school’s athletic department.
When I walked into my friend’s office, the coach was also there, and I
was flattered he remembered me.
Most coaches should remember their former athletes, but I am not sure I
would even qualify as a former athlete. I tried to run track as a walk-on
athlete my third year in school, and I must admit that I was slower than some
airlines are today.
If I had been a horse, they might have put me out to pasture before my
first race.
I had been a fairly fast runner on the neighborhood level as a youth, so
I figured I could get in shape and make the team. Unfortunately, most of the
sprinters at Georgia were fast on a national or even international level.
As
a result, I spent a pretty humbling year literally going around in circles.
But
it was not from lack of hard work. I was into reading sports motivational
literature by former Green Bay Packers Coach Vince Lombardi and others at that
time, so I figured I could work hard and make up for whatever limited natural
ability I had.
Nearly
every weekday after practice, for example, I would rest about 15 minutes and
then go and run the steps in the basketball arena.
I
have never worked so hard at anything as I did at making the track team. I have
been accused of being lazy as an adult, but for about nine months during the
1980-81 school year, I was the James Brown (“hardest working man…”) of the
Georgia track team.
Despite
all the work, I never seemed to get any better and never received the
opportunity to wear a Georgia uniform in a meet.
And
20 years later, I am still trying to figure out whether running track was a
worthwhile or a wasted experience.
On
the surface, it did seem to be a waste of time, other than becoming acquainted
with some outstanding athletes, including football great Herschel Walker.
It
also helped keep my waistline down.
But
the experience did shape me mentally as well. Primarily, it made me realize that
a person has a lot better chance at succeeding in a vocation in which he has
talent.
That is why I try to make a living as a writer. I do not claim to be very
good, but I know I am a lot better writer than I am a salesman. I could not sell
an open can of tuna to a cat.
I have also come to realize that working hard is much more enjoyable when
you know it is helping you improve. I worked hard on that track team with no
ability and saw little advancement.
But I am hoping the lessons I learned then will help me win some other
kind of race down the road.
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