what is an athlete?

Being an athlete is more than just putting on a jersey, or winning and losing or the life long friendships you build with your teammates. Wins and loses are a part of competiting in athletics yes, however that doesn’t make you an athletes. Being an athlete at its purest form is a commitment. Commitment between mind and body to strive for excellence. Its a very intimate relationship with self that that comes with sacrifice and adversity. Being an athlete is pain for purpose. Its dedication and determination when others would choose to be deterred and discouraged. Its hours and hours of repetition for the sake of preparation. Being an athlete is strategically preparing for the unknown. Its where dreams met hard work. Where sweat is admired and exhaustion is envied. Most importantly being an athlete is a covenanted between mind and body to optimize performance from both. Physically the body has to suspend its natural inhibitions and let the mind push it to levels it would normally be adverse to go for the sake of development and ultimately victory. The mind has to be the captain of the body. The body becomes a slave of the mind and not the other way around. Those who can master putting mind before body unlock the ability to reach potential stored deep within the reserves of our perceived limitations. However If once the mind takes control, just as much as it has to push the body, it is also equally responsible for taking care of the body as well. It must keep the body in its prime form to optimize its output. That mean it has to watch what it put inside the body and