The Value of Relationships

Emani Fenton, a former college football player a Cornell University, was an All-Ivy League performer and an excellent student. 

He stated, "The best character quality I fostered in football was love. In my life, I would estimate that I have played in 125 football games. In one year of college you have almost as many teammates. The games and memories I remember are tied in with the emotion, most times love. The celebrations, the tears, the jokes with people from a different background builds a love that stays with you forever.  There is nothing better, not a day goes by where I do not talk to a former teammate in one form or another."

Emani brings up a quality that most of the time is taken advantage of while one is in the midst of a semester or season. Relationships are what get you through everything in life. When you are down on yourself you need someone to pick you up, and when you have a great experience you want someone to share it with. 

Understand that as a student-athlete you walk into a room full of people with a common set of values and beliefs.  Teammates are your source of strength as they know exactly what you are going through. It is easy to relate to people who willingly accept the same risks and rewards as you.

Teams are manifested through a common goal.  Through this goal trust is created and relationships are forged. The locker room serves as a sanctuary of openness that allows teammates to form ideas and constructively criticize each other so they can best achieve that goal.

The way to build relationships is to build trust, and the only way to build trust is to allow yourself to be vulnerable.  As a student-athlete do not be afraid to ask for help in areas that you are weak in. Look for role models in the locker room who succeed both in the classroom and on the playing field.  Mimic their actions and ask them about themselves; your interest in them will undoubtedly shift their interest to you. 

In the future you will realize that the trials and tribulations you shared with your teammates are well worth it.  These shared experiences are the foundations for cultivating the strongest relationships that will last throughout the entirety of your life.