I found myself considering the differences between fans and athletes on the Saturday afternoon following the Homecoming football game (unfortunately, the Cadets lost). Sports fans love his or her sport/team as an athlete might, but they are willing to acknowledge a life outside of that sport. An athlete is not so enlightened. A fan has an off-season; an athlete does not — there is no off-season for sports. You train hard, you play hard, and then you start over. You live in constant motion, with a constant drive to become better, faster, stronger. A fan will watch the game. An athlete will become the game.
So here’s to you, athletes. Here’s to the blood you find stained on all of your equipment. Here’s to the practices that run long, late hours. Here’s to the sore muscles, the bruises, the body parts caked with dirt. Here’s to showing up at the rink hours before anyone else is awake, when the ice is dark and quiet. Here’s to not leaving the field until you own the ground you stand on. Here’s to your determination, your drive, your willingness to give up your playing time for the betterment of the team.
You are the strongest among us. You, and you alone, know the stress of a performer and the pressure of a warrior. You fight to the best of your ability and look good doing it. Your stage of choice will either be your kingdom or your downfall; it’s all about how hard you work. There is no such thing as a finish line. There will always be someone better than you, who is willing to work harder.
That Saturday’s game ended woefully for the Cadets, against prediction. During the game, each player seemed to be playing well, if not to the best of his ability. Most notably, senior running back Zay Richardson showcased his incredible talent on the field. Richardson promises a fantastic senior season, and is an asset to the Academy team. Also worthy of mention is the team’s newest kicker, Jordan Newton. As a sophomore, Newton is a crossover from the varsity soccer team, where he is a starting player. Not seemingly built for football, Jordan stands at around 5’10, 150. Despite this, he is a fabulous kicker and with further grooming could easily become a mainstay of the Academy football team.
The homecoming game against Bishop Maginn was a clear disappointment to both fans and athletes alike. Academy took a beating, but bounced back this past Saturday with a 43-7 win against Cohoes. Hopefully, the team will continue to play well next week when they face Ravena.