College sports around the majority of the world have come to a halt due to the pandemic that has taken so many lives. The cancellation of sports this fall has put many athletes in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation. The cancellation has taken a toll on many athletes who were relying on the fall season for a breakthrough in their athletic career.
Many athletes who are graduating now have to find out what is next on the horizon for their future. Oftentimes curses are blessings in disguise and for every athlete, they will one day have no choice but to turn away from sports. This pandemic may prepare their minds for the near or far future ahead. Athletes can now, for a brief moment, focus solely on things outside of sports and establish a foundation for their life beyond a football field, soccer field, basketball or tennis court.
There is more to life than sports and athletes may find that they are skilled in other areas as well. The cancellation of sports is all about the approach and how athletes look at and deal with the cancellation.
Monmouth University athletics looks bright with a new strength and conditioning Coach Tim Rehm who has been nothing but a great asset to Monmouth athletics and has helped student-athletes reach goals they have only dreamed of in only a short period of time. It will be interesting to see how Coach Rehm uses this time to prepare Monmouth’s student-athletes for the return of sports.
One thing is for certain, sports may be on pause for the fall but sports will be back, student-athletes and sports fans have nothing to put their head down about because for Monmouth University there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Being a student-athlete at Monmouth University has put me in the same predicament as many other student-athletes. Growing up, football seemed to be the only way for me to see success after college. The pandemic and the cancellation of fall sports have shown me there is more to Solomon Manning besides the football player who just likes to hit people.
My attachment to football ended up being my fuel, every lesson I learned from football I was able to translate into the real world and I found that I am skilled in other areas besides football. This may seem like a small accomplishment but that was huge for me to know that there is more to my name than just a sport. I pride myself on my ability to take risks on the football field and I apply that same fearlessness to my life to find my other passions in life.
Although during this time of uncertainty we still must prepare which may seem crazy but that is life. In life we will all have to endure obstacles and still have to do the best we can without knowing what the end result may be. The pandemic prepared me for life, regardless of what the light at the end of the tunnel may look like, that does not mean to stop or slow down, that is when we need to step on the gas and just believe.
PHOTO COURTESY of Karlee Sell
