A New Outlook

Here's a pic of me on the house long board. This accident waiting to happen was donated by my good friend D Meeker 1. Don't be surprised if you see me competing in next year's X Games.

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Athletic identity is an issue effecting a good majority of former standout athletes. From a young age, these individuals grow up being identified as athletes possessing skills distinguishing them from their peers. When an athlete can no longer compete, a part of them is taken.

I spent the first 18 years of my life being identified as an athlete. There eventually would come a time where my identity would be stripped from me in a manner beyond my control. It took me several years to take back…

Athletic Identity may be defined as the degree with which an individual identifies with the athlete role. The athletic role is an important social dimensions of self-concept influencing experiences, relationships with others and pursuit of sport activity. Past research has indicated that strong athletic identity is linked to a greater importance of athletics in an individuals life. Those with strong athletic identity spend more time with teammates and coaches that further strengthen their athletic identity. Family, friends, coaches, teachers and media may all support an individual’s identification as an athlete. Consequently, athletics take on a great psychological significance in an athlete’s identification. Strong athletic identity has been found to correlate with a stronger sense of self-identity, more social interactions, boosting confidence, and report more positive athletic experiences (Griffith & Johnson, 2002).

Sport is my passion, it drives me, it is part of my identity.

Sport is not just an activity, event or hobby, but a lifestyle, a healthy lifestyle.

Sport is a substance that has been nothing but positive in my life. Whenever I have had a strong connection with sport, my life seems to be the most stable and positive. Sport at the purest level has made me the person I am today.

During college, I spent five years searching for answers. At this point in time, sport was not a major part of my life/identity. I had a hole inside of me that I filled with social activities and the popularity associated with partying. This lifestyle never gave me any long term satisfaction. Just short term, that often was followed by comments such as, “I’m never drinking again”.

Through triathlon I’ve rediscovered my love for sport and in return my love for life. I used to think that I never wanted to be out of school, I wanted to be young and wild forever. I now know that I must take control of my future and create my own destiny. I am aware that I don’t have to settle. What is the point of going through life unhappy. I need to focus on that which has significance in my life, set goals, big and small, with plans on how to achieve them. Celebrate the everyday victories; learn the lessons of my failures.

I now tend to get excited about the uncertainties of the future rather than trying to avoid it. There is so much more out there for me to learn and experience. The excitement of learning and experiencing something new, gives me great incentive, motivation and drive.

I feel like I have been given a second chance and am moving onto phase two of my life. I am young and have only begun my journey and with this journey comes change.

I’ll leave you with the quote below. I like this because it is a simple reminder that I can not just sit around and expect good fortune.

I have learned that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

- Henry David Thoreau

Keep it rollin,

Mat