Dear Athlete,
Whether we’ve met or not, I want you to hear this clearly: I believe in you.
I believe in you because you’re willing to put yourself out there. You’re willing to step up, even when the stakes are high and the outcome is uncertain. You face the pressure of competition and the fear of failure, not in the privacy of your own thoughts, but right in front of others. And yet, you show up. You keep putting in the work, despite the doubts, despite the obstacles. You are willing to fail, learn, and be vulnerable; that is where true strength lies.
I believe in you because you’ve dusted yourself off after every fall. When the world tells you it’s too hard, when others might have given up, you’ve found a way to get back up. You rise again—sometimes silently, sometimes with a fierce roar, but you rise. And that’s something to be proud of. Every time you stand back up, you are building something within yourself that can never be taken away.
I believe in you because you’ve survived the coach who didn’t understand you. You’ve made it through that tough season, that tough moment where it felt like they just couldn’t see the potential in you. But you found your strength, your voice, and your belief in yourself, regardless of how others saw you. You’ve come out the other side stronger for it.
I believe in you because you’ve made it through the pain of losing a coach who meant the world to you. The one who pushed you to be better, who saw something in you that you couldn’t always see in yourself. That loss was hard, so hard that it might have felt like you couldn’t go on without them. But you found a way. You kept moving forward, even when it felt like something precious was gone.
I believe in you because you keep showing up. Day in, day out, you show up. Even when it feels like no one else notices, even when you’re exhausted or discouraged, you show up. And that is the most powerful thing you can do. You don’t back down. You don’t quit. You keep going, even when it seems like the world is telling you to stop.
Whether we’ve crossed paths or we’re still strangers, I want you to know this: I see you. I see the effort, the grit, and the heart you put into your sport. And I believe in you, not just as an athlete, but as a person. You’re doing something extraordinary, and it’s bigger than just winning a game or a match. It’s about showing up. It’s about pushing yourself. And it’s about learning, growing, and believing in yourself, no matter what.
You are capable of more than you know. Keep going. I believe in you.
With all my respect and support,
Dan
