Opportunities

By: Lucas Nudelman


Editor: Jordan Atkins

As we approach the last open meet of the 2011 season, the opportunities for those not already with a line-up spot are coming to a close. Of course there is the off chance that someone may earn a spot via a time trial, but for the most part, spots will be cemented after the meets on Tuesday (Glenbrook South Open and The New Trier Frosh/Soph Invite). Some of us will have the opportunity to compete in all of the meets here to come; some will compete in one, and some in none at all. Some should be content with this because the reason they aren't going to be competing is that their physical ability does not come in proportion with their love for the sport, and their bodies will not let them meet the standard needed to make the line-up. Others, however, will have been physically able but weren't willing to put in the hard work and effort. They will look back in retrospect at the mistakes they made, the chances squandered, and they will only be able to wish for them back.

Over the weekend, Ari Feldman was given the chance to earn a mile spot, as he was given a vacated position in the Twilight Invitational. He got the chance through the misfortune of another one of our athletes who made some poor choices that ended his season prematurely. An opportunity was then stripped from one and given to another. Some might say, “So what? He’s a junior, there will always be next year.’’ This is correct, there will be a next year for him, and he will probably learn from his mistakes and make better decisions, but his junior season is over for good. Lately some team members have seemed future focused: not today; tomorrow.  I’m fearful that if this grows to become a team mantra, we will never reach our full potential. In the past few months I've found myself thinking about what the next two seasons will look like, but now I'm more hesitant to ponder my possible future success. I'm learning that if I don't focus in on the here and now, I will never reach these aspirations. I'm reminded of a quote that Coach Buti has brought up more than a couple times in the past two years, "Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it"-author unknown.
    People who make excuses for not preparing properly for their events or the meet will never succeed. These people think there’s always going to be a tomorrow for them, but when tomorrow comes, the mental preparedness won’t be there. No matter what they are able to do physically, the mental toughness needed to achieve greatness will not be there.  When the clock strikes midnight, the opportunities will all be gone. They will never get another chance to compete as a Highland Park Giant.

             Ari (Rothschild) will get his accolades, and if all goes well he will win the 3200 at conference and then on to the State Finals, and the same with Berk in the pole vault. These guys didn’t get to where they are today; breaking records and making state by saying, “This meet doesn’t really matter, there will be another one later that I can prove myself in.” They got to where they are today by everyday giving it all they had, by preparing well mentally and physically. When the sand in the hourglass runs out, they’ll be satisfied with how their careers went. They will look back at their success in joy, no opportunities wasted, no regrets.