Here in New England, we are often associated with our love for our sports teams. This passion is frequently cultivated at a young age and can be responsible for instilling values which will serve us well in many endeavors throughout our lives.
One of the most important values to which we can make this connection is "perseverance". One needs to look no further than the backyards, playgrounds, and frozen ponds of the region to witness perseverance first hand. Children of all ages and skill levels can always be found at these places trying to emulate their sports heroes. Whether it is throwing a touchdown pass like Tom Brady or hitting a home run like David Ortiz, any child will experience a tremendous amount of failure and disappointment before, ultimately, realizing the goal they set out to accomplish.
By the time many of us become adults, perseverance is a core value which is embedded in many aspects of our professional and personal lives. Our evolution to adult sports fans is no exception.
While teams like the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox are all associated with recent success, any fan over the age of 30 will proudly tell you how they have persevered through embarrassment, poor performances, and some of the most heart-wrenching losses evah witnessed in the world of sports! These setbacks are almost worn as a badge of honor and, in some way, a display of the perseverance we have exhibited both collectively and individually as fans.
While we often associate perseverance with some of the more serious aspects of our lives, the next time you watch a sporting event or drive by a group of kids playing sports, you may think of perseverance in a completely different light.
-submitted by Dave Dyer, Production Control and Logistics Manager and Die-Hard New England sports fan for 4 decades and counting!