Dear Warrior - Give Your Whole Heart
Dear Warrior,
You chose to play the greatest game in the world. Hold it in your hands delicately. You may not know it yet, but the way you live your life on that field is a whole lot like how you’ll show up in the real world one day and here’s why..
When you’re nervous before a big at-bat, trust me, those butterflies will come back around in the future. As long as you’re always challenging yourself, the nerves will be there. But our favorite game teaches us how to embrace those nerves and use them to our advantage. Let the nerves fuel you.
When you’re excited for your teammate who made a play worthy of the SC Top Ten, never lose that. This kind of selfless excitement is something a lot of people forget when they get older. Never lose the pure joy that you feel from someone else’s success. It’s a beautiful thing.
When you lose a close game and think the world is ending…it’s not. It may feel that way at the time, but that loss could be exactly what you needed. If you take the loss, analyze it, learn what made it happen, and work on correcting each physical and mental mistake, GOOD NEWS! You’ll never lose that way again. That loss made you smarter.
When you succeed in ways you never thought were possible and find the success you were always after, you deserve to celebrate it! Don’t forget to also celebrate and acknowledge every single person who helped you get there...
- Dad, who selflessly spent countless hours working with you in the backyard on your swing.
- Mom, who was the first hug you wanted after every heartbreaking loss and made sure you never went hungry out there!
- Grandma, who always thought you were the best athlete on the field (even if the score sheet made you feel otherwise).
- Coaches, especially the ones who believed in you when others didn’t. Maybe there was even a coach who doubted you and said “you’d never make it”. But because of those words, you gained the fuel to work harder than you ever had before.
- Teammates, who you would do absolutely anything for.
I hope, more than anything, you understand the importance of thanking those who helped you achieve your goals. It was an absolute team effort and even though most of these will never want any of the credit, they deserve it. As long as you keep these people close, it will never be “lonely at the top” once you get there.
Lastly, strive to be the athlete your future self will be proud of. The decisions you make now will determine how fast you achieve all those big, bold, audacious dreams of yours. Some decisions may be tough at the time, but it's important to understand that they are exactly what is needed to have the future you’ve always dreamed about. Do everything with your whole heart and you’ll never regret it.
Wishing you all the success in the world,
Ashley
ASHLEY BURKHARDT
A former collegiate and professional softball player, Ashley is a softball entrepreneur who has dedicated her work to helping athletes find their inner greatness while pursuing their dreams and goals. Everything Ashley teaches is based off of her own experiences and failures in hopes of reminding athletes that these experiences are the very things that have helped her become a better version of herself every time she stepped on the field.
"Strive to be the athlete your future self will be proud of.Do everything with your whole heart and you’ll never regret it."