Facing Adversity

"If there is one thing I can assure you, it is that you will have adversity on the field tomorrow. Football is a game about adversity. In every play, players get knocked down, they get back up, and then they get knocked down again. But you keep getting up. Having adversity is part of the game. You accept it, but you don't allow it to defeat you. You go on to the next play. So when one of your teammates faces adversity in the game, each of you must have one thought you are the one who will be there for him. Know that you will stay focused on the process during the entire game, and part of the process is being there for each other. Let every one of your teammates know that he can trust you to do your job. As your teammate, he can trust you on every play-one play at a time. This is how football games are won. One play at a time! Now, I want you to all stand up again and tell one of your teammates how much you trust him and listen to him tell you how much he trusts you. And be sure to promise him that you won't let him down in the game tomorrow night."

Kevin Elko; Robert L. Shook. The Pep Talk: A Football Story about the Business of Winning