Professional Inspiration

I have the coolest job in the world: I work for the Washington Redskins as an equipment intern. Sounds kind of dorky, sure. But in reality, my job reigns supreme, especially if you are a Skins fan. When I am working for the team, I spend my days surrounded by the players, be it at Redskins Park at practice, or at Fed Ex Field in the locker room and on the side lines. It is a dream job.

Today was my first day back this summer, and the job has not lost its magic. It is hard work, but when you are working along side Santana Moss and Co., its pretty easy to suck it up. It just so happens that my first day back also coincides with the first day of my first full week of training.

When I work at Redskins Park, I come home pretty tired. The hours are long and the labor can be physical at times (a lot of time spent on the feet, if nothing else). Still, last summer, as I was working 10+ hour days during training camp, I was able to get the best summer training of my life in. Today I realized what it was that allowed/inspired me to do that.

When you work among professional athletes, you get to take a look into their work ethic. Becoming a professional athlete takes luck, talent, and incredible drive. These guys are the best of the best, which is why they make the big bucks. But since they are being paid the big bucks, they are essentially being paid to perform and produce to the best of their ability level. In the off-season, that means working out. A season in the NFL is long and hard. If you come in out of shape, you are behind the curve and spend most of your time playing catch up, or end up hurt. Remember, you're being paid the big bucks. So most of these athletes take things very seriously--and most of the time that is visible when I am around them. I am surrounded by some of the most highly trained and finely tuned athletes in the world. And it rubs off on you.

When I see these guys working day in and day out to be the best in the NFL, it makes me wonder what I can become if I work as hard as they do. Obviously I will never play in the NFL (I really want to play in the NFL--minus the fact that I weigh 135 pounds and have never played a down of football in my life. I'd still really like to play in the NFL and win the Superbowl). But just because I won't play in the NFL doesn't mean I can't reach their level on the spectrum of my own talent. To get there, however, requires me to put in the same amount of work that they did. Plenty of guys have had amazing college careers, gotten drafted high with a big contract, and then shown up at training camp and gotten railed, only to last a few mediocre seasons in the league before getting the boot. It goes to show you that everyone has to put in the work, no matter how gifted. So if they can do it, why can't I?