Leadership; more than a position

On January 20^th 2014, the national day of service, I volunteered with Urgent Inc. painting murals in Dorsey Park to commemorate the South Florida Negro team. Getting my hands covered in paint, streaking color across the walls alongside Kadir Nelson (a well-known painter featured in the New Yorker and with work on Drake’s cover of his latest album) I felt apart of something greater than myself. As clichéd as that may sound, I truly felt united with the historic past of Miami’s black community, and with today’s community of diverse volunteers. The Dorsey Park is located in Overtown, 15 minutes from my home in Coral Gables. Although blocks away, the two communities often seem segregated by the stereotypes and discriminations dividing the two. But with some simple volunteer work it inspired me to see people from all walks of life coming together to collaborate and move in the direction of progress. It takes efforts like these to promote change.  

This week I also attended a one-day leadership conference that ‘increases awareness of real-world leadership and emphasizes the development of one’s leadership potential’. What does a ‘leader’ mean? The word is often thrown about without any comprehension of its true significance. As Dr. Steve Gallon III stated, “Leadership is action. Not position.” This quote resonated with me because it encourages us to go out into society, engage with people in the community, and become leaders by role modeling ideal behaviors and actions. Dr. Gallon reiterated this influential statement by saying, “Believe what you say, and live what you say.” These simple quotes allowed me to come to the realization that leading comes naturally when you become the person you wish others to be.

            A couple days ago I stumbled upon some Facebook messages and I realized that I was somewhat of a leader in my community. I read lines like, “You have inspired me to play volleyball,” and “You motivate me to work harder.” Although many of those people didn’t realize it, they too were inspiring me to push myself even more because I want to show them what hard work can accomplish.

           One of the most rewarding parts of being an athlete is having a younger athlete come up to you and tell you how you inspire them. This year as I have had more and more young children look up to me I have felt even more motivated to be the leader and inspire them to be the best that they can be. Through community service and attending conferences I have gained even more motivation to work diligently for a greater purpose; Inspiring others.

             

Food for Thought

What does eating healthy mean to me? 

 Being an athlete, I must provide my body with the fuel it needs to perform at an optimum level without overeating and consuming foods with excessive amounts of sugar and fat. So I have decided to keep this healthier lifestyle very simple by these rules; drink lots of water, eat lots of fruits, eat lots of vegetables, consume healthy carbs, eat protein, and do not eat processed food (inspiration links below). Carbohydrates and proteins are extremely important in an athletes diet, so I have decided to eat more whole grain or wheat to increase fiber content, lower glycemic index (preventing sugar spikes and crashes), and increase vitamin intake while I try to eat a sufficient amount per day. Hopefully with these simple rules I will be able to maintain my new healthy lifestyle.

          As part of my resolutions for 2014 I want to Eat Healthier; a resolution common to the average person, but a struggle for most of us. Although I don’t think I have a particularly ‘bad’ diet, I definitely think I could improve it to have the optimum athletic body I dream for, and to make myself feel livelier and less sluggish. But as I often tell my close friends, being healthy ultimately intimidates me! My struggle lies mainly on the fact that healthy food is expensive, doesn’t always fulfill my desires, and doesn’t always fill me up. It isn’t easy being a green machine, but I figure it’s a challenge I need to overcome.  

          As my first step in this direction to eating healthier I have decided to only stock the fridge and pantry with healthy food. I began my expedition to the Whole Foods grocery store last Sunday with two key thoughts: don’t look at the price, and only get things that are whole wheat, fat free, and immersed in nutrients. With recommendations from twitter followers, friends, and my mother I was ready with a list of healthy foods to possibly buy (list below). I have never made a list to go to the grocery store, but I found this to be a great tool to stay on track of my goals. Instead of entering aimlessly into the snack isles, and finding childhood chocolate treats to go with my nighttime tea, I entered with a mission in hand. What I love about Whole Foods is that you can’t really go wrong. Unlike the average grocery store, Whole Foods prides itself on organic, local, quality foods, so even if you end up buying a bit of chocolate it is likely it is healthiest bar in town. The effects of healthy buying first showed up when I rang my food up at the checkout, I practically doubled my regular grocery-shopping price. But in sticking to my resolution I decided to try to ignore my horror, and remind myself there is no shame in paying more for a healthier diet.

After reading up in magazines, and following Health sections to the Huffington Post and NY Times on twitter, I learned a few tricks to becoming fuller from eating healthy. One technique I have grown fond of is having a parfait for breakfast every morning. What’s great about this breakfast is that not only is it tasty and juicy, it also is extremely filling and vitamin-rich.  I’ve decided to use some acai berries and chia seeds (I am not sure if this is normal) to this meal to enrich it with superfoods that have been recommended across the media. Another great snack that I have found to be greatly filling is wheat toast with almond butter and bananas on top. Although it sounds a bit weird, and not very tasty, it has been my favorite snack of the week. This snack contains some high amounts of potassium, calcium, and protein, great for an athletes diet. Lastly, adding half an avocado to my lunch has helped me feel full up until dinner. I am normally constantly snacking, because I can never eat enough to feel contented, but with this new trick I feel less of a need to look in the pantry every half hour.

 My first week has been a bit of a struggle as I have seen most of the drawbacks in my bank and in my longing for regular pasta and rice. I even was tempted in my class with freshly made brownies and cookies from the teacher, but to my surprise, I resisted his act of kindness and was later pleased with my accomplishment to deny the gift. Last night I went to the movie theaters and was seduced by the smell of popcorn. Despite the enticing odors, I went through the entire movie without buying a snack. Here I saved myself money, and also the wrath of feeling lethargic after eating the popcorn. Even though it has only been a week, I already feel more energized from eating healthier, and proud for tackling my little obstacles. It may seem silly, but I find this healthy thing one of my main challenges of the year, and I hope to find more tricks to master the art of healthy eating.

 Shopping List:

Organic oatmeal, Raisins, Walnuts, Non-fat Greek yogurt, Organic Raspberries, Black berries, Acai berries, Watermelon, Cherries, Granola (minimal sugar), Organic honey, Skim milk, Luna protein bars, Simply balanced fruit bites, Organic brown egg, Multigrain bread, Almond Butter, Quinoa, Salmon, Trout, Lentils, Pinto beans, Kidney beans, Black beans, Organic pesto, Brown pasta, Brown rice, Bananas, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Kale, Cranberries, Spinach, Chia seeds, Sweet potatoes, Tuna, Shrimp, Whey protein powder, Oat bran cereal, Weetabix, Onions, Garlic, Bell peppers, Tomatoes, Avocados, Lemons, Salsa, Balsamic vinegar, Romaine, Almonds

 http://theathleticbuild.com/the-big-ten-10-nutrition-rules-to-achieve-an-athletic-build/

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/tips/olympic-nutrition-tips/

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/healthy-wholewheat-flour-vs-white-3305.html

My Last Off-season

It’s been a week of school, and getting back into a strict routine has been unexpectedly enjoyable. I find it ironic that something typically unexciting and miserable, has greeted me with content and excitement. There’s something appealing about stability and structure, in an otherwise “unstable” and random world. For this reason, I decided to write a blog about my first week of my last off-season; the insider to a life of a student-athlete.   

As team workouts began on Wednesday, a couple of days after spring classes began, I was awakened by the reality of the ‘off-season’. For me, off-season is the hardest time of the year. I often have to battle my emotions; fighting off dispiriting attitudes and reminding myself ‘there is a light at the end of the tunnel’. Off-season mostly consists of all the dirty, tough, and exhausting work, without the pleasing results of a win, televised game, awards, or any acknowledgements of fans. No one gets to see how much work is put into the off-season, and how draining it can be, but it is the time when we have the most opportunity to progress.

Wednesday began with a reasonably early workout at 7:45, all of us in the locker room with a touch of fear in our eyes. It is the mere fact that knowing where we need to be, and knowing where we are, intimidates us from starting the journey. We began with a light warm-up to get our muscles going, although anticipating a fatiguing workout. It began as expected, with a couple body weight routines' and then we were thrown into the heavy, weight-baring lifting. After what seemed like an overdose of leg, arm, and ab exercises we were entering the newly formed cardio workouts. Being a volleyball player, I am not used to the intense cardio routines that other athletes may be acclimated to. So in entering upon our first plyometric and ropes circuit I was more than unprepared. I began in the ropes course, across from the plyometric lateral step-ups. Although excited at first, it soon turned into a longing to stop. Out of breath, finding the drive within me to pull the heavy ropes up and down, I was frequently reminded to make the rope ripple from top to bottom. It felt like minutes before the first circuit was over and we soon grabbed the attention of all of the professional athletes in the weight room with our heavy breathing and uncontrollable sighs of distress. As half the team circled around a trashcan, hoping they wouldn’t vomit on their first cardio account, I stared at my next task in a daze, unsure of what I was doing. That whistle, no athlete ever likes to hear, blew loud followed by shouts of encouragement which seemed more like anger, and we were on to the next round. Half way through that second round I began to feel like I was moving in slow motion. Trying to make it seem like I wasn’t so out-of-shape, I attempted to move my legs faster, only to realize that I was moving at a dauntingly slow pace. Gasping for air, whilst trying to seem athletic amongst our audience of athletes, and listening to the shouts of frustration amongst my teammates it seemed as though this wasn’t going to stop. I remember telling a teammate, “Is this a f****** joke?” It was soon to be over, and the reality of it was that it was making us stronger. Entering the locker room we found it laughable at our discouraging thoughts and seemingly weak appearance. After this demanding exercise I found myself relieved and excited. Although my body was aching from head to toe, and I could barely walk upstairs to class without physically picking my legs up from stair to stair, there was a sort of thrill in the agonizing first day. I would have never said this as a freshman, or even as a sophomore in College, but finally after knowing that becoming a professional athlete is a goal of mine, I take pride in the hard work I encounter to get there.

The day did not stop after the early morning workout, it continued till about 9 at night. After the early workout we had a quick meeting with coaches and advisors about what was going to be the next four months. Then, after quick showers, we jetted off to classes to begin our third day of school. Into about an hour of class, uncontrollably my eyes grew weary and it became a physical effort to maintain my utmost attention while also keeping my eyes lids open. It is not that I was in anyway uninterested in what I was learning (I am actually eager to hear about my lessons in community psychology, research methods, and more), but it was honestly the fact that I was too drained to be the active student I often wish to be. I pride myself in being a glasses-wearing, freckle-faced, front row, overachieving student, but often feel punished by fatigue. By the end of the day after hours of lectures, writing notes, and participating in classroom activities, it was about 9 at night. Being an athlete you have to fit your schedule around practices, so sometimes that leaves you with the night classes drawing out your day longer than you may wish. After finishing what may seem as undesirable amounts of school, I still felt excited and eager to be there. In my classes at UM I am surrounded by many aspiring psychologists, doctors, artists, professors, and more, and this motivates me to push myself more than ever to be the professional I hope to be. As I hear about the seniors in my classes being accepted into different grad schools, or in different post-undergrad internships, I think about my possibilities to eventually receive a PhD of my own, and possibly have my own practice in the future. Each class, although tiring, takes me closer to that reality, and for that reason, I enjoy overloading my schedule.

After reflecting on my first week of spring, and entering into my final year of volleyball and school, I find this experience to be a bit more pleasing. Although still tired, exhausted, and often discouraged, I see the progress and the excitement in knowing I am closer than ever to getting there. I value the hectic schedule that often seems overwhelming, but is ultimately beneficial to my success, and for that I am grateful.

MLK Quote: “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving.“

MLK Weekend Abs Circuit

(X3)

(10) Plank pushups

(15) Pikes

(30) Bicycle Crunches

(20) Foot to Foot Crunches

The Spiritual Athlete

As a spiritual person I have found that my beliefs and faith have helped me become a better athlete. When understanding sports, many people overlook the mental aspects of the game. It has taken me years to find a mindset and practice that helps me perform at my highest level but with the help of teammates, sports psychologists, coaches and books I have come to appreciate the lessons of faith as a source of stability in the emotionally volatile nature of sports.

Historically, religion has guided people in different ways to grow as individuals and as communities. Having faith has served as a source of motivation and purpose. As Alexis Mourning (team-mate and friend) once described to me; her religion has guided her to the belief that playing volleyball "is her purpose in life." This allows her to succeed because she wants to make the most out of her God-given talent for herself, family, fans, teammates, Etc.

For me, by being a student of spirituality I have discovered that some of the teachings in various religions help inspire me in times of defeat. Specifically, I remember repeating prayers in my head when I was aced (when a player is served at and messes up the pass) three times in a row. My hands were clammy, heart beating double-time and I was grating my teeth. I couldn't have been any more tense. As I took a deep breathe and told myself, "serenity, courage, wisdom"  I felt confident and was somehow able (maybe by coincidence) to pass a perfect ball the following serve.

Through faith athletes can gain confidence in situations that might seem hopeless. For example, the Buddhist perspectives on suffering have taught me how to rise in the face of challenges; "the causes of suffering are also the means of release" (Mark Epstein). It has taught me to advance through times of struggle and defeat by changing my 'perception' of the situation. Instead of lamenting on a loss, an injury, or technical error, I have learned to understand these times as chances for growth. Through the readings of Sameet Kumar I have understood that suffering "arises from our desire for control and stability in an uncontrollable and unstable world". Being defeated in sport is inevitable. As athletes, we constantly experience a variety of challenges whether they be physical, emotional, or mental and by using faith we can overcome them by looking at the challenges from a different point of view.

Many sports psychologists will tell you that routines are extremely important in athletic success. Routines are one highly important part of sports that an athlete can control. Religion can guide these routines that sports psychologists often promote. For some of my teammates, I see a simple biblical verse written on their wrists as a game ritual. By allowing their faith to guide their sport they are able to focus their mindset through the lens of 'confidence' and 'positivity'.

Some religious practices can be extremely beneficial for athletes. It can allow them to find routine, purpose, motivation and confidence. Taking control of your 'mental game' as an athlete can help improve  consistency and toughness; two crucial elements in higher level sport.

My Olympic Story

It's been a year and a half since the Olympics in London. It's amazing how the experience shaped and changed me as an athlete, student, and person. At the time I wasn't able to fully comprehend or describe how immense the experience was, but now I  feel as though I can attempt to articulate my personal Olympic story. 

The first day entering the Olympic Village was dreamlike. It was as if I was entering a futuristic world of strikingly fit people representing their home countries in vibrant and spirited colors. As we arrived on our Team GB bus we were greeted with smiles from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds. At the youthful age of 18 I wasn't sure how to approach this whole experience. I kept reminding myself to embrace each and every moment because I knew that within the blink of an eye it would soon be over. Emotions engulfed me; I was hesitant, excited, nervous, intrigued, proud, happy, scared, energetic, and so much more. But as soon as I received my lanyard and Olympian ID it suddenly became more real. I was there for a reason. All my hard work, goal setting, tears, soreness, and determination were about to pay off. 

The Olympic Village hosted thousands of athletes, all with similar goals. I have never been in a place like it; people of all ages, races, and religions living amongst each other for three weeks representing their home nations with utmost pride and honor. The dining hall was a place where people could try foods of all nations and mingle with other athletes and coaches. Although many people did not speak the same language they exchanged greetings with simple smiles, waves, or a trade of Olympic pins. The village seemed to be in its own world; the sunniest days I’ve ever seen in London. Free vending machines, fresh fruit, parfaits, coffee, street food, and all that you could imagine was always available and at the ready. For even more casual enjoyment there was an athlete bar, titled The Globe, (with only water and soft drinks) with pool, large Jenga, Wii games, and live music. In case you needed a quick hair cut or polished nails there was a small town with a salon easily accessible. Mind the speed walkers! They raced round the spotless pavements for their daily workouts without paying any mind to the casual walkers. After spending sometime in awe of this futuristic community, I searched for a Church to attend. My teammate Gracie and I came across a lovely Church unifying people of all nations. It brought us closer to the experience by allowing us to meet people of similar beliefs. Through discussions on Biblical verses we were able to connect with athletes of all different sports, of all different levels. Some of them had won awards previously and had told their stories, others discussed their struggles and their defeats, whilst others listened as this was their first experience. Each story brought me closer to the realm of reality, and I felt more apart of the Olympic experience. 

But entering the Olympic Village was no time for rest and entertainment, as we had rehearsed and promised ourselves and the team that it was time to become Olympians. We practiced endlessly, whilst also giving ourselves sufficient rest to prepare for our first game. Although I was much younger than my teammates I haven’t felt as close to a group of individuals as I did when I was a part of the GB Volleyball Team. Through my entire summer of tryouts leading up to the Olympics, and up until this day I have cherished the relationships I built during our journey. If I needed a laugh, a bit of sarcastic relief, a music outlet, some athletic motivation, honesty, or emotional support I knew exactly where to find it. Being a part of this team allowed me to work even harder. Our practices were short but tough (sometimes we took the tube to venues to have extra practices outside the scheduled practice times), showing all of our determination to achieve our team and personal goals. Leading up to our first games was exciting and nerve-racking. I wanted a starting spot, I wanted to show myself as a young athlete, I wanted to prove myself as a volleyball player and a team mate, and I wanted to represent my country as best I could. I couldn’t express these desires to anyone at the time, and I still can’t articulate them enough to describe the determination and motivation that I was feeling. We all have moments in our lives with an opportunity to show ourselves; an ephemeral time to blossom. This was it. This was my time, my chance.

The crowd, rambunctious. Seats, endless. Lights, radiant. Team, unified. Opponent, intimidating. I was walking to the court through the corridor next to the number one volleyball player in the world, Gamova, at a terrorizing height of 6 foot 8  and with a stone face . She, one of the most well-known volleyball players in the world, and I, a young locally-known athlete with this as my first world appearance. As scary as some people think it was, knowing I had my teammates beside me, my family in the stands, tons of friends watching, and a whole country behind me I felt confident.  As the line up was called, and I was first to the court, I could feel the home support. I couldn’t help but greet the stands with smiles. The games were finally here. Before getting drilled with a  first serve (teams served at me the most being the youngest, most inexperienced player on the team) and I reminded myself, ’you have the skills, you have the talent, you have the fight, and most importantly the capability. They may be tall, but I know they can’t jump like you.’ It may sound a bit cocky, but it motivated me more than ever. Deep breathes to calm the nerves and confidence to drive the fight. I remember the games vividly, I had my first kill against this enormous offensive-line across the net. 

Five Olympic games and we were done. Those five games and what we had dreamed of doing our whole lives was over. Precious moments that will never be forgotten. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience the Olympics, and I crave to have another shot at it. Although I wish I could have done more, I am still proud of my 18 year old accomplishment.

There is so much more I could share. Even though it was only three weeks I have a lifetime of stories I could tell. Leaving the Olympics in the final ceremony and celebrating with Team GB as a whole,  made life clearer. I crave the feelings of achieving unimaginable goals. I desire to be on teams that feel more like families than acquaintances and to feel endless support. So today, as I aim for my next target I take with me the lessons I have learned from my Olympic experience; work towards a goal and never give up, be unifying, with a group you can do more, be accepting, be positive, and be confident. Although I felt a touch of post-Olympic depression, now I see my Journey doesn’t stop there.