There’s also the knowledge that faltering on the court of public opinion may be worse than the actual mistake.

Getting back up again takes courage.

And a lot of faith.

Those are words that get tossed around a lot in the world of sports.

But athletes have those two things in spades.

They have faith that they can do challenging things and the courage to try - and try- and try again until they get it right.

Courage can take on a number of meanings, depending on the circumstances.

It could look like a team of underclassmen fearlessly taking on a state basketball tournament field that has them out-sized and out-experienced and finding success in spite of the odds.

Or an athlete coming back from an injury that should have sidelined them for the remainder of their career to score 43 points in a game and go on to win a state title.

A hurdler who crashed over the top of a hurdle has a lot of courage to get back up and keep going to finish the race.

A pole vaulter who missed the mat takes another approach and vault.

Along with the courage it takes to put one foot in front of the other and keep trying, the faith keeps them going.

Faith that the linemen are going to hold the pocket.

Or the faith that one missed shot does not mean another miss.

It’s knowing that regardless of how badly you fail, you have a whole team to help lift you up - to help you find your courage to keep going.

Our student athletes are fantastic examples of both of those things.

Whether it’s pushing forward in the wake of a losing season or finding a way to continue after the loss of a teammate in the middle of the game, these athletes find a way.

They take the next step even though they may not see the whole staircase.

Each of them has found ways to be successful despite the odds, despite the circumstances, despite where they are in the skill set they possess.

That’s pretty admirable.

And it’s contagious.

It’s hard to not want to be a part of that growth - or to not try to steal just a drop of that self-confidence and assurance.

Those things aren’t a byproduct of just what they do on the court.

The people they are around - those who helped to mold them into the players - the people they are off the court - are to be commended for that.

When an athlete has the confidence in themselves - the courage - to step out of their comfort zone in the face of failure with the faith that they will find some manner of success, that’s a big deal.

That’s on the coaches, the parents, the managers and teachers who surround our athletes. You’re doing a great job of bringing up courageously faithful kids.

It’s not an easy task, and takes a great deal of courage and faith on your end as well.

You deserve a solid fist-bump for what you’re doing.

Thank you for your commitment and for modeling the courage and faith it takes to be a human being.