Brandon Simister was a shy kid. Awkward with girls and intimidated by the spotlight, the skinny kid from St. George, Utah, had one big thing going his way — he was good at basketball. Around athletics his whole life, Simister was a self-professed “gym rat” who was more comfortable with a basketball in his hand than just about anything else.

As he grew from a high school kid starting varsity as a sophomore into an adult and star of his college team, something happened along the way: Simister learned to be personable. He learned to work hard. He learned to set and reach goals. He learned how to work with a team. And he learned how to bounce back from failure.

In short, he learned how to be successful. And that is what most employers want.

Finding an employee who can contribute in a significant and meaningful way has become a crucial part of operating a successful business in the modern workplace. How can employers expect to find these types of potential workers, and what makes a former athlete such an attractive candidate? Cody Ferraro and Max Wessell of InXAthlete know and want to share their knowledge.

Employees are Financial Investments

Companies spend money to train employees, teach them proper work standards, and integrate them into their inner workings. A company that sells software, for example, needs to invest time in familiarizing a new worker with the products, the pricing, and the sales techniques. “Every employee for a company is an investment,” says Ferraro, a former lacrosse player from Lehigh University. “The skills and qualities that student athletes garner through their careers translate perfectly into any professional organization.” Having an employee that already possesses these skills saves money and gives employers peace of mind.

Hiring Athletes Eliminates Risk

Hiring fresh recruits from college can be a risky business. Prospective employees may have good grades and decent references, but none of those things ensure they will be good workers, reliable employees, or the kind of people a company needs to help it grow and succeed. But companies have learned that they can rely on former athletes.

Hiring a former athlete, whether it be a football player, tennis star, or any other organized athletic pursuit, takes some of that risk away. After all, who wouldn’t want an employee who is used to studying ways to succeed, setting realistic but difficult goals, and working hard to make those ideals come to fruition? “Hiring out of college can seem a daunting task for an employer,” says Wessell, a former NCAA All-American wrestler who started InXAthlete with Ferraro. “Hiring a student athlete ensures you are getting a college grad who is able to balance athletics and academics, is driven to succeed, and can solve problems. Student athletes take the risk out of first-year hires and InXAthlete is the platform to find them.”

Former Athletes Come with Determination

In today’s competitive environment, an employee that comes determined and ready to work is invaluable. Chris Valletta, former NFL player and co-founder of the sports apparel and accessories brand Mission, believes that hiring athletes is a no-brainer for employers. “It is their persistence and determination which gives them an edge over other competitors,” Valletta says. “They have a strong work ethic. They value commitment and are aware of the importance of their time and other’s time. In this sense, they are highly disciplined and organized.” And ready to be productive.

“When I advise people to seek and hire athletes, what I am really referring to is the athlete traits (akin to leadership traits) that make any individual an exceptional hire,” says David K. Williams, chairman of Restore Cryotherapy Mountain West. Traits born of determination — including tenacity, a focus on goals, entrepreneurial spirit, and balance — are common among former athletes.

Competitive Spirit Is Key

The drive to win in sports translates directly to the desire to succeed in business. “It’s hard to deny the competitive spirit of college athletes,” says John Forknell, VP and general manager of Atlas Business Solutions, Inc. “They’re in the game to win. . . . Most have tasted loss and don’t like it’s [sic] bitter flavor. Whether it’s a basketball player who missed a last-minute game winning shot in the Sweet 16 or a college football quarterback who got sacked one too many times in a rivalry game, these players fight hard to not repeat failure by working relentlessly toward their goal.” The spirit of competition is the key to hard work.

Employers need an edge in the modern marketplace, just like coaches need an edge to build winning teams. As Brandon Simister closes out his college career, the possibilities for a career for the young man are plentiful. And smart employers will be lined up to pull athletes like Simister aboard their teams.

By: Max Wessell- InXAthlete , Co-Founder

Every student athlete wants to succeed. On top of a rigorous academic schedule, student athletes choose to devote 40+ hours a week to their sport. This life is not a typical or relaxing one, but it is fulfilling. It takes a person with a special drive to live the daily life of a student athlete. Below are five mindset tips every student athlete should master for success.

1) Choose Balance and Positivity

If you are deeply focused on sports with no room for academics, family, social life, and simple pleasures, your mind will suffer. Truly great student athletes nourish all aspects of their lives by striving for balance and looking on the positive. This healthy mindset will carry over from the classroom to the field, mat, or court.

2) Be Eager to Learn

Part of being an exceptional student athlete is being able to absorb knowledge everywhere you can get it. Take advantage of the time you have to learn in class. Learn how to study hard yet efficiently. Know what your teachers are looking for in assignments and put time into developing those ideas. In your sport, absorb the knowledge coaches have to offer. Most importantly, learn from competing. Learn how to be humble in your victories and how to overcome your losses. These lessons will ride with you for the rest of your life.

3) Focus on the Journey

Goal setting is common among student athletes. Becoming an All-American or national champion, making the dean’s list, winning a varsity match, etc. — to achieve these goals, we must focus on the journey. Being present in the moment and doing the little things right is more effective that obsessing over (but not working towards) the long-term goal. Practice and work to the best of your ability, eat and sleep correctly, and set time aside for homework.

4) Embrace Competition

Moments of competition are invaluable to student athletes. During my collegiate career, the nerves before a wrestling match often had me wondering, “Why am I choosing to do this?” After many years of blood, sweat, and tears, the fulfillment of success is like no other — and you grow to miss it. Take advantage of your opportunities to compete, embrace the nerves, relish the adrenaline, and know that these opportunities are sparse.

5) Prepare for What’s Next

Every student athlete needs to be ready for the end of their athletic career. Set yourself up for success and avoid post-athletic depression by doing something you are passionate about. FInd a place where you can compete and work with people who will value the student-athlete in you. You are a student athlete. You enjoy competing, working hard in everything you do, and striving for success.

By: Max Wessell- InXAthlete , Co-Founder

Leaving Ward Melville High School in Long Island, New York, I was a high school All-American, All-Long Island team member and captain of one of the best high school lacrosse teams in the nation. I had it all planned out; I was going to go to college, repeat my success, and call it a day.

Fast forward to my first practice at Lehigh University in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. It was a gorgeous day on South Mountain and the goal of the day was to roll the ball out and just play. These first two practices were primarily for the coaches to see in what shape the team came to the school year. It was also an opportunity for the freshman to make their first collegiate impression. The first day ended well: I had a few points, was able to adapt to the speed, and got my clock rocked by a senior midfielder that humbled me a bit.

Day two started: I was feeling pretty good about the day before. I started to open up, throw my body around a little more, and take some more chances. And then it happened. After a shot, I was going for a rebound right outside the crease. As many lacrosse players know, a loose ball around the crease is the battle zone. Sticks and bodies fly violently everywhere with the goal of making contact with anything. One wrong movement and my right knee no longer had an LCL — i.e., the ligament that runs along the outside of your knee, creates stability, and makes the knee ACTUALLY work.

Little did I know this was going to be a common theme in my college career. Fast forward four years: two back surgeries, one ACL surgery, and one wrist reconstruction surgery, and that’s it — my college lacrosse career was over. I guess my plan back in high school didn’t really pan out.

But what did pan out? Learning to punch injuries (setbacks, challenges, etc.) in the face. I can wholeheartedly state that coming back from injuries physically and mentally has changed the person I am today for the better. The injuries kept on coming through my career in college, but they forged me with determination to get back up, get better, and start playing again. I know it seems like a very self-righteous “I’m the man” statement, but it was the most humbling experience I have ever been a part of.

What did I learn?

Good question.

1. It very rarely works the way you plan it out. Keep on moving forward, and the outcome will be positive.
2. Bounce the heck back. This was a huge process for me. The first time I was derailed due to injury, it took me a while to come back mentally. That time got cut down significantly with the more challenges that came my way, and it was easier to keep that mindset in any disappointments in life.
3. Door closes, try the window. My final surgery came in my last season in the form of a right-wrist blowout. Season over, now what? I needed to compete, create, and work towards something. That’s why I created InXAthlete.com. I’ve learned so much through my time as a student athlete, skills that I know translate perfectly to the professional world. I know businesses want people with the moral fiber of student athletes. There just needed to be a way to connect those opportunities with the student athlete community. This mission took over and creating InXAthlete and opportunities for student athletes to continue to grow after collegiate athletics filled the hole leaving lacrosse left.

4. Compete every day. The only way you get comfortable is by competing with yourself. Put yourself in a challenging situation and find a way to make it a success. Being comfortable is being stagnant. Keep moving forward.

Challenges take many different forms; many of mine came in the form of injuries. All people have faced challenges in many different forms. The only way to grow is to attack challenges with complete conviction, learning every step of the way, and to punch your challenge in the face!

Hiring an entry level employee is one of the biggest challenges HR departments and recruiters all over the country face. Although one might think that hiring out of college for entry level positions is easy and certainly a lower risk than higher paid mid management and executives, this is not the case. Hiring out of college, an employer has very little to go off of. You merely have access to information such as a resume, their academic accolades (which is becoming more and more controversial on whether that leads to a good business professional), and how they carry themselves in an interview. This is in stark contrast to the wealth of knowledge you find when looking for someone with previous work experience for mid management and executive level jobs. These candidates have years of business and professional world experience for your HR and recruiting departments to lean on when making a decision. This begs the question, what constitutes a great out of college entry level hire?

When most businesses look to hire out of college, they look for the presence of the soft skills that one may possess that would suggest they are top level talent, but what exactly are those soft skills? In a recent NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) study, 160 national employers were surveyed. Of those 160 Employers the top five traits they sought in a college grad were:

1. Leadership
2. Ability to work in a team
3. Communication skills
4. Ability to overcome adversity/ problem solve
5. Hard work ethic

These top five traits mattered more to employers than other standout attributes like computer skills, creativity, being detail oriented, and analytical skills.

Let’s take a look at the top five skills employers look for when searching for graduates out of college. Leadership, ability to work in a team, communication skills, ability to overcome adversity, and hard work ethic. Now if you read that aloud it sounds a lot like you are describing an athlete. All of these skills are soft skills that take years of training to master. They are not technical skills or even skills that are so much associated with academia, like the aforementioned analytical skills or computer skills. It starts to make sense why employers would want to look for collegiate athletes when hiring young men and women with very little previous work experience. The skill set Student Athletes develop when honing their skills, balancing academics and athletics, training with a team, and competing day in and day out are the same traits that make a great employee.

That is why we created InXAthlete. We developed a simple and efficient platform that connects you, the employers, with Student Athletes looking for jobs and internships. We not only want the Student Athletes to succeed — we also want to see business, big and small, to excel in their out of college hiring practices and see a return on next level talent.

By: Max Wessell- InXAthlete , Co-Founder

Think about it: Skills like time management, self-accountability, confidence, being goal-oriented, self-discipline, overcoming adversity, teamwork, competitiveness, persistence . . . well, the list goes on and on. These are all attributes that are not only intrinsically part of the DNA of any successful student athlete, but also skills that are highly valued in the workplace as well.

InXAthlete started out of the struggle of our own experiences. After years of dedication to competitive sports, we wanted to find professions that would not only take advantage of the skills learned from a lifetime of training, but also employers that would appreciate those same traits. Our search for jobs attempting to match student athletes with specific employers generated few results, sparse and scattered all over the Internet.

The real genesis of InXAthlete was the decision to actively bridge that gap.

While doing initial market research, we met with several high-level company executives who shared some fascinating insights into their hiring practices. They pointed out that if they were looking seriously at two candidates, the first with a 3.6 GPA and the second with a 3.0 GPA but with a student athlete background, that they would hire the latter applicant 10 times out of 10. This not only validated our purpose, but also gave us a starting point.

We are both extremely passionate about student athletes and understand the myriad skills that highly specialized background offers. We recognized there was no active solution to getting student athletes exposure in the professional world when their sports career was over, so we made one:

InXAthlete.

The connection between student athletes and employers that InXAthlete fosters is mutually beneficial. For athletes, we provide connections with employers who will appreciate their years of hard work along with their unique skills and attributes.

For employers, the main benefit is access to job candidates who will make a great hire. If you make a list of the most desirable traits for a job candidate, you can easily draw a direct connection between those skills and candidates who have been tested time and again through athletic competition.

At InXAthlete, our purpose is to help both sides join the same team.

Eric Osmond comes by his nickname naturally.

Around the office, the 26-year-old Utah real estate agent with a penchant for personal discipline and the ability to get things done is known as the “Renegade Machine.”

“You can see it on my door,” Osmond said, noting that the other office nameplates show a person’s name, followed by the title of “agent.” “You look at my door, it says, ‘Eric Osmond, Renegade Machine.’

Osmond said coworkers made the nameplate for him because it describes how they view his disciplined approach to most everything he does.

Osmond doesn’t just slip his game face on when he walks in the doors of his Century 21 offices in Utah each morning. He’s already chiseled his emotional mindset — in addition to his physique — with a couple hours in the gym. That’s where he not only powers through his own workout routines, but also doubles as a personal trainer — helping others tap into the level of physical self-control needed to achieve their own goals.

“My training is mostly in helping other people to discipline themselves to get the body that they want,” Osmond said. “I believe in the discipline to make it happen rather than just the science behind it . . . because they’re both important.”

Osmond, who grew up playing both basketball and soccer, says his athletic background, in addition to his fanatical devotion to the gym, not only carries over into the workplace but also into every facet of his life. Citing attributes like competitive drive, the ability to overcome adversity, managing time effectively, and discipline itself, Osmond says they’re all enhanced by the time he spends in the gym each day.

“I do attribute a lot of my abilities to pull through in making those sales calls, to push through [adversity] at work … and that ability to push a little harder has come from the background of being athletic,” Osmond says.

From an employer’s standpoint, it seems obvious that someone who has spent a couple hours each morning getting after it in the gym will not shy away from any heavy lifting that may be required on the job.

“It’s like an employer in the workforce, what do they want? They want somebody they can rely on,” Osmond says. “Well, if you can rely on somebody to go to the gym every day, that has that discipline, you can count on that person.”

Osmond says he didn’t set out to become a personal trainer as a side gig, it just sort of happened. One by one, people noticed the many positive results of his regimen and sought similar change in their own lives. Among his training disciples are some of the top Century 21 brokers from around the world.

“When these brokers of mine knew about my work ethic and my ability to be disciplined, they instantly put me right in their inner circle because they knew they could trust me,” Osmond says. “And to me, trust is a huge thing. If you do not have trust, nothing will work. No relationship in business will work, no marital relationship, no financial, anything. And if you trust yourself to push the limits at a gym or in nature, however you exercise, then you can be trusted. I believe in somebody who can push themselves.”

His fitness regimen hasn’t only been a professional boon but a personal one as well. In the last year, personal upsets — including heavy loss — have led to heavy burden. The countless hours spent in the gym have helped fuel his ability to overcome adversity.

“In some ways, turning to the gym was a huge asset to me,” Osmond says, “just to get that focus back, to get my self-esteem back. To be able to be like, ‘OK, I did this, I feel accomplished. I can go back into the workforce, or I can go back into whatever I had planned today with my schedule’ — that I also have discipline toward doing because I believed in myself at the gym.”

According to Osmond, there is a direct correlation between the discipline his workouts require and how he performs at work.

“In a sales job,” he said, “I can make another phone call that could lead to thousands of dollars, just because I pushed one more rep or one more set in the gym that morning. Everything is connected to what you do in the gym. Everything. From your family life to your work life to everything else.”

In daily life, everyone has the same time. What your inner drive and discipline carry you to achieve, however, can yield vastly different results.

“Ultimately, everyone has the same 24 hours in a day,” Osmond said. “No matter how wealthy you are, how successful you are, anything about you, all we have in common are the same 24 hours in a day. And if you cannot control that [time] which you’re allotted, you’re at a disadvantage.”

By: Cody J Ferraro - InXAthlete , Co-Founder

Anticipation courses through most college freshman as they arrive on campus their first day, ready to face a new era in life — one that promises excitement and experiences far different from any they had at home. It seems daunting, but they’re all there starting from square one together, right?

Well, not all of them.

For student athletes, they arrived at campus weeks ago and are already on a regular routine of practice, training, recovery, and socialization. That exciting first day that most of their new classmates are experiencing just adds another facet to the athletes’ already overloaded schedules. Student athletes are asked to do a lot — and then some more. Practice schedules are grueling, classes don’t care what else is going on in your life, and your friends expect you to be hanging out with them every night. How do you balance so many aspects of your life when, for most, this is your first time even being out on your own?

Determination is what got you into a collegiate athletic program, and determination is what’s going to carry you through the endeavor of an athlete/student/socialite life. The beauty of college is knowing for what and when your attention is demanded. Practice at 8 AM? That’s training time. Classes from 10 till 2? You better be there. Your boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s birthday dinner is at 8? Probably shouldn’t skip that, unless you want a lot of free time suddenly on your hands. Knowing everything that’s expected of you is important, but being able to follow through is where student athletes really show what they’re made of.

There’s no secret to balancing all the demands of being a collegiate student-athlete. You need to know what’s on your plate and how you’re going to attack each demand made of you. And this only becomes more true after school — except you get less guidance and the stakes are higher.

So now we come back to determination. It’s what pushed you through your organic chemistry class and Acting 101. It’s what got you up at 6 AM for two-a-days. And it’s what maintains friends for life once you’ve moved on from college. The balancing act isn’t a balancing act at all: it’s life. If you face each role you find yourself with determination — the willingness to fail, learn, and try again — you will be successful.

By: Cody Ferraro — InXAthlete Co-Founder

MEG WHITMAN

Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman has been recognized as one of the most powerful women in the world — she was №9 on that very Forbes List in 2016, for example — but did you know she helped hone her drive early in life with a passion for sports?

In high school, Whitman played basketball, lacrosse, and tennis, and even captained the swim team. She then took her athletic prowess to the collegiate level, competing on both the lacrosse and squash teams at Princeton.

Whitman has logged an impressive business resume since graduating from Princeton in 1977. In the 1980s, she was the vice president of strategic planning for the Walt Disney Company, and she served as an executive for DreamWorks, Procter & Gamble, and Hasbro in the 1990s. From there, she moved on to a 10-year run as CEO at eBay.

In 2011, she was named CEO of Hewlett-Packard, a position she has held since, although she recently announced her resignation, effective Feb. 1.

In her book, The Power of Many, Whitman says she often uses the lessons learned from athletics in her business dealings.

“I liked team sports the best,” she writes. “When I’m pulling a business team together, I still use those basketball aphorisms I learned as a young person: ‘Let’s pass the ball around a little before game time.’ ‘Do we need man-to-man or zone defense?’”

STEVE YOUNG

Overcoming adversity is a big part of what made Steve Young an NFL Hall of Fame quarterback. It’s incredible to realize his football career almost didn’t get off the ground in college.

Arriving as a freshman at BYU in 1980, Young, more of a running quarterback, found himself buried on the depth chart behind picture-perfect passers (and future NFL starters) Jim McMahon and Marc Wilson, among many others. Some coaches were even seriously considering moving Young to the defensive side of the ball.

During that period of uncertainty, the bewildered freshman called his father back in Greenwich, CT, and told him he wanted to quit football and come home. His father, Grit, famously told him that he could quit football, but if he did, he couldn’t come home.

Young, of course, stuck it out and went on to develop into one of the best college and pro quarterbacks of all time. A two-time NFL MVP and one-time Super Bowl MVP, Young is a member of both the college and NFL halls of fame.

When a serious concussion ended his pro football career, Young — who had earned a law degree during the course of several NFL offseasons — was primed and ready to jump right into the business world.

“I see myself as a deal guy first,” Young says. “I’ve put football behind me. Roger Staubach once told me — and I’ll never forget it: ‘When you retire, run. Never look back.’”

In 2007, Young and a business partner co founded HGGC, a private equity firm. The firm, which has closed several billion-dollar deals, separates itself from other venture capitalist entities by only investing in companies where management stays on after the sale.

Young has kept a hand in the sports world, as he also works as an NFL analyst for ESPN.

“I have worked hard to build an expertise in two different fields, and I am proud of that,” Young told Bloomberg Businessweek in 2017. “I have built one over the course of 35 years as a football player and analyst. The other, in private equity, I’ve established over 18 years. I’m focused on being excellent at both — and without sacrificing one for the other.”

CATHY ENGELBERT

This former two-sport star at Lehigh University knows a thing or two about breaking glass ceilings. When she was named CEO of Deloitte three years ago, she became the first woman US CEO to lead a Big Four company.

Growing up, Engelbert came from an athletic family with seven other siblings who were active in sports. At Lehigh, Engelbert played on both the basketball and lacrosse teams and — in a preview of her extraordinary leadership abilities — served as a captain for each squad.

As the leader of one of the largest professional services organizations in the world, Engelbert recognizes the value an athletic mentality can bring to the workplace.

“Athletes have to overcome a daily struggle to avoid feelings of self-doubt when facing temporary setbacks,” she says. “The same is true in the workplace. If you experience a setback, shift your mindset and view it as an opportunity for growth.”

JEREMY BLOOM

This one-time dual-sport star from the University of Colorado is actually the answer to a trivia question: “Who is the only athlete to ever ski in the Olympics and be drafted into the National Football League?”

Bloom’s athletic accomplishments extend from the slopes to the gridiron. A freestyle skier, Bloom is a three-time world champion, a two-time Olympian, and an 11-time World Cup gold medalist. He was also a football All-American at the University of Colorado as a wide receiver and punt returner.

Bloom has also made his mark in business, starting the Wish of a Lifetime Charity in 2008 and marketing software company Integrate in 2010.

In addition to those professional pursuits, Bloom has also served as an analyst for ESPN, FOX, NBC, and the Pac-12 Network.

Bloom’s athletic mentality is apparent whenever someone questions his ability to get something done.

“They told me that about college,” he says. “‘You’re going to get hurt, you’re too small, you’re not going to play.’ I love people like that — it inspires me to do it even more.”

DWAYNE JOHNSON

After being part of a national championship college football team (1991 Miami Hurricanes), you might say that Dwayne Johnson went into the family business: professional wrestling.

Johnson — whose father and grandfather, as well as several other relatives, had been pro wrestlers — didn’t just get by in the ring: he became one of the world’s most celebrated athletes throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Johnson parlayed his wrestling fame into a lucrative acting career, breaking into Hollywood’s mainstream with roles in “The Mummy Returns” and “The Scorpion King.” His appearance in “Fast Five” in 2011 helped reinvigorate “The Fast and the Furious” franchise. His latest starring role was in the recently released “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”

Not bad for a defensive lineman from Miami.

“Football changed my life and it gave me a platform to get out my aggression,” Johnson says. “And it gave me a sense of value.”

As these five examples show, ex-collegiate athletes typically have developed a variety of character traits which help them succeed in off-the-field competitive environments as well. The same drive which pushed them to success in sports, still exists as they jump into full-time careers.

Whether it be determination, accountability, overcoming adversity, understanding teamwork or just an unquenchable competitive nature, athletes have proven capable of taking their talents into the upper echelons of myriad big businesses.
To learn more about the athlete-employer dynamic, visit InXAthlete.com.

By: Cody Ferraro — InXAthlete Co-Founder

The best advice I believe I can give students or student athletes on their journeys through maturity is to think small to achieve big. As we graduate high school, we have our dreams and aspirations laid out in our heads. “I will go to college at [insert dream school]. I will graduate with a degree in [insert degree here] and get a job at [insert dream job here].” Sounds pretty incredible when we have our life planned out at 18 years young. However, is that really what we want?

Thinking small to achieve big is a necessity when it comes to athletic success and professional success. This mindset can be summed up as “grow with the process.” Little steps turn into big strides; through those little steps, we are changing with every breath, moment, and experience. Our interests change with every new bit of information we receive and every new experience we conquer. Aspirations change and passions grow. By taking it step by step and growing with the journey, you can ensure that you will be fulfilled not only during your collegiate campaign but also in the professional world.

Discipline is the glue that creates the connection between the traits of any good athlete, business person, or entrepreneur. It holds together all the soft skills needed to excel. Hard work, time management, leadership, and toughness are meaningless without the discipline to use these skills consistently.

Making the choices that support and enable you to work toward your goals day after day, with no regard for what might seem “easier” or “more fun” takes discipline and constitutes what many successful athletes, and business professionals attribute to their success. Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, known for his discipline, said, “Once you set a goal, it’s all about how hard you’re willing to work, how much you’re willing to sacrifice and how badly you truly want it”. Elon Musk, arguably the most influential business person today is also known for his discipline, says, “Ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.” These two individuals display through their own stories of success how doing the little things right and practicing discipline in every choice they make leads to fulfillment in both athletics and business.

Today’s world is hyper-competitive. As society progresses, what it means to be excellent at something becomes harder and harder. In athletics we very rarely have three sport athletes in college — it takes years of focusing on one sport from a very early age to stand out. In business there are more startups and capital driving competition than ever. It is no longer enough to simply be talented, or be a hard worker some of the time. Excelling at what you do requires much more. It requires the inner desire to do the little things right in order to achieve. As a student athlete the discipline to enact upon other traits like hard work, time management, and leadership is cultivated. You are asked constantly to sacrifice in order to become a better athletes for yourself and for your team. You are asked to do all the things a college student does, plus the commitment bigger than yourself to excel and continue to grow in your sport.

This discipline to make the difficult choices to get better has been ingrained into you from the early stages of competing, to the highest level of collegiate sport. Continue to grow this discipline and use it not only as an athlete but as a professional; it is one of the most valued traits a student athlete has to offer.