Pathetic fallacy, or attributing human emotion to inanimate objects and nature, often plays an important role in our favorite movies and novels. However, this is also seen throughout athletics, with angry, whirling weather directly correlating to our gruelling practices and mentally and physically exhausting games.

Last year, my team and I experienced a practice none of us will ever soon forget.  It took place in what felt like a hurricane and we lost count at sprint number twenty-three.

Repetitive running and screaming definitely served to push each of us to our physical and mental limits, or at least what we thought were our limits. This extremely demanding practice showed us that everyone has a personally-perceived threshold and then a level much further past this point to which our bodies can function.

Participating in collegiate athletics has allowed me to reach a whole new degree of physical and mental toughness, one that I thought I could never reach. My perception of hard work was redefined that day as I watched my body push farther than it ever has before, to stretch beyond limits to support my team and please my coach.

The essence of working hard extends beyond sports and into the classroom, our relationships and all other aspects of life. As college students, we push ourselves to excel academically, not just to let our parents know that their thousands of dollars is paying for more than another fun weekend, but truly to ensure a greater life after our four short years at Gannon.

Working hard at strengthening and saving relationships is why our friends become family and, likewise, our family become our friends. Without striving to become a better person in all aspects of life, our future would become pretty shaky. Although this lesson can be learnt in dull lectures, dry books or dreary talks, I prefer to learn the importance of hard working from finishing my twenty-fifth sprint at the front of the pack.

Megan also talks about her dedication for sports and how that effects her dedication in the classroom. Check it out in her last Game On blog.