Dear Boys,
Sports and all competition has a tendency to inflate the individual . Sure “teams may win championships”, but tv highlights and online fan videos and in game ads tend to emphasize just a few star players.
That comes across even more in American sports than elsewhere because our culture is so much more individualistic than others around the world. We hold tightly to the American dream, the belief that any one can succeed by sheer dint of hard work and gumption. We debate Jordan v. LeBron, or Brady v. Montana, or Ruth v. Mays because even though everyone of them played a team sport, their individual persona greatly outweighs any team accomplishment they might have.
It’s one of the reasons some people say “soccer won’t sell” in the US. We’re still waiting on a bonafide American star. The women have had Mia Hamm and Hope Solo and their game thrives, the men…well…not yet. (See Pulisic, Christian).
But this isn’t a post about what Soccer should do to be relevant, or what society should do to embrace soccer. This my advice to you, and my advice is simply this: You can absolutely do things alone, but helping someone else succeed often helps you too.
This is the dirty secret behind our idol worship in American sports. Jordan’s competitiveness, Ruth’s intimidation, LeBron’s social conscious, Brady’s ability to collaborate with others, Mays’ electric defense didn’t just win games or awards or endorsements. They also boosted their teammates. So please, don’t fixate on what you can do to stand out, but on how you can do your best and elevate everyone along side you.
Rather than trot out my favorite tandems of yesteryear, I’ll just direct you to the best one-two punch we can see week-in and week-out: Marit Clausen and Julie Blakstad. Clausen and Blakstad have been integral to taking an unbeaten run through more than half the season. That’s not an accident. It comes from talent, from strength, and most of all, from supporting others.
Perhaps Marit Clausen could run riot over other sides without the service Julie can provide. Maybe Julie Blakstad could grow into a star-attraction striker if Marit Clausen was plying her trade elsewhere. Or maybe, each uses their gifts to build up the others. (And in so doing, build the confidence and strengths of the rest of the team, and thus support the unbeaten run.)
At a time where we can be increasingly convinced that one person “alone can fix it”, it’s good to remember that a single individual can indeed be a hero. But more likely than not, they can help others become heroic in their own way. You may well do something incredible in your life times, but you were able to do so because a lot of other people helped you along the way. That’s what Clausen and Blakstad remind us of every week, and one of the many reasons I admire them so much.
MacKenzie's Boot Room 