The Benefits of a Foundation in Sports for a Former College Athlete
From the Desk of Oluwatomi "Tomi" Abayomi
“ ...sports can be used as a vehicle to achieve anything. ”
The weight of being a college “athlete” is an experience that can be difficult to overcome without resiliency. College was where I learned life skills that have aided not only in my personal development, but have pushed me to my current career. Through athletics, I learned how to:
“The weight of being a college ‘athlete’ is an experience that can be difficult to overcome without resiliency.”
Set goals for myself
Push myself mentally and physically
Master, YES! Master the art of time management
Be disciplined
Be patient
Sacrifice
Improve my emotional wellbeing through physical activity
Be part of a community, and to uplift others.
Since graduating from college, I have dedicated my career to helping mentor young people through higher education. But with sports at the core of my foundation, I always find myself back on a basketball court. In my free time, I have coached AAU boys, and high school girl’s junior varsity basketball. I take initiative to volunteer my time to aid in the skill, and personal development of young people who happen to be athletes. I think it is important that young black girls continue to see women that look like them in diverse professional aptitudes. It is critical to show them that sports can be used as a vehicle to achieve anything.
In trying times, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic, I really see the benefit of the foundation sports has given me. In losing the day-to-day structure that is naturally built into having a career, I have implemented my own structure. This includes, getting up at 6 am to get my home workout done, setting a to do list for the day, and reconnecting with old friends and teammates in order to keep our spirits high during this difficult time. This has been very helpful for my mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Lastly, it has given me a great opportunity to write this blog post.