Bear Necessities Volume 20

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the University of San Francisco Hall of Fame Ceremony, and it was made extra special as one of my close friends, Fiona O'Sullivan, was inducted. Teammates, coaches, family, and friends gathered on the Hilltop to celebrate her incredible career at USF and beyond.

At USF, Fiona was known for her goal-scoring ability, but her professional career was equally remarkable. Among many accomplishments, she was named Football Association of Ireland (FAI) International Player of the Year in 2011. The weekend was filled with nostalgia with former teammates, coaches, family, friends, and even a visit with her orthopedic surgeon who operated on her 3 times in her career. It was a reminder of the resilience and perseverance required at the highest levels of sport.

As I listened to each inductee speak, a common theme emerged. Every one of them thanked their coaches for believing in them, for seeing potential when they couldn't see it themselves, and for pushing them to become not only better athletes, but better men and women.

Fiona closed her speech with words that I truly appreciated:
"Where would I be without sports? You gave me my role models, purpose, structure, motivation, life lessons, and some of the best friends I could have ever had."

It's a question I often ask myself. Sports have a unique way of shaping who we become on and off the field and weekends like this are a powerful reminder of why what I do matters.