I read this poem in Teen Ink that discouraged me beyond belief. It affirmed that winning is everything to an athlete. As an athlete myself, I will admit that winning is wonderful, but it is by far not everything. A true athlete should have a passion for the sport, not just a passion for winning; an athlete should have the drive and perseverance to become more skillful, not just to win but for the pure enjoyment of it. No one will always win. Athletes who only play a sport for the glory of victory are just wasting their time.

It takes much more than the ability to win for a person to become a true athlete. Respect, integrity, leadership, sportsmanship, and responsibility are a few of the traits one needs to be called a true player of any game. Life can be looked at as a game, with one winning at times and losing at others. So in a sport, if you believe in the concept that “winning is everything,” you will probably have the same approach to life, which will only lead to disappointment.

A passion for the sport is what keeps a true athlete playing the game