IT'S HARD.

IT’S HARD TO get yourself up everyday to lift.

IT’S HARD TO get off a 12 hour shift and train another 3.

IT’S HARD TO commit everything you have without getting distracted by adversity around you.

IT’S HARD TO come from nothing…To have everything.

IT’S HARD TO not have food in you’re stomach and still fight.

IT’S HARD TO have every odd against you and still come up a winner.

IT’S HARD TO tune out the DOUBTERS, NEY SAYERS, CRITICS.

IT’S HARD when you have to spill out all you’re life sayings so that you can get the best training there is. Twice.

IT’S HARD TO keep the doubt out of your mind.

IT’S HARD TO not read the papers and hear about “That new kid.”

IT’S HARD TO stay focused at the goal in your life.

IT’S HARD TO stay when everyone says let’s go.

IT’S HARD TO stay that extra hour after practice because you know you have to be perfect. It’s even harder to be perfect.

IT’S HARD TO tell your girlfriend or your boyfriend that you can’t go out on a date tonight because you have 6am lifts tomorrow.

IT’S HARD TO get an A in your class when you spend most of your week traveling the country. Competing.

IT’S HARD TO not complain when it hurts.

IT’S HARD TO not give up on that last 3^rd, 2^nd, final rep.

IT’S HARD TO squat till you puke.

IT’S HARD TO turn your dads car lights on in the dark field and ask him to catch some snaps after homework before you go to sleep…then again 6am the morning of a game.

IT’S HARD TO explain to your girlfriend or boyfriend or best friend why you do all this when they don’t understand. They never do.

IT’S HARD TO fight your nightmares when you have to go out in front of 110,000 people, and another 100,000 watching on ESPN and preform.

IT’S HARD TO not give up.

IT’S HARD TO collapse. Then get up. Then finish your last set.

IT’S HARD TO wash 10 pounds of sweaty laundry after cutting weight for hours.

IT’S HARD TO not eat a whole week. Just so you can make weight on Saturday.

IT’S HARD TO come back from a loss. Then win.

IT’S HARD TO face your fears.

IT’S HARD TO have courage to fight when you know the odds aren’t even close to your favor.

IT’S HARD TO work on your dribbling foot skills when you’ve already worked on your passes and shots, for 2 hours.

IT’S HARD TO be hard.

IT’S HARD TO not to quit.

IT’S HARD TO hit batting practice on a 105 degree day.

IT’S HARD TO be a Champion.

IT’S HARD TO be a captain.

IT’S HARD TO actually be a leader in times of adversity.

IT’S HARD TO set up the pipes and take more shooting practice…after practice.

IT’S HARD TO miss Christmas, New Years, Easter, your birthday….Because you have a game, meet, match, competition.

IT’S HARD TO not see your family for months on end.

IT’S HARD TO take a HIT.

IT’S HARD TO not go insane during camp.

IT’S HARD TO shoot 10 more free throws, when you’ve already shot 100.

IT’S HARD TO wake up at 530am for lifts after staying up till 1 studying for tomorrows test.

IT’S HARD TO miss winter break or spring break when everyone is in panama beach.

IT’S HARD TO look yourself in the mirror and know you left everything you had on that field, court, or rink.

IT’S HARD TO be BORN WITH ONE LEG…THEN BE A NATIONAL CHAMPION. (Anthony Robles)

IT’S HARD TO be diagnosed with cancer. Even HARDER to fight it. Even HARDER to

beat it. EVEN HARDER to come back swinging and define yourself as a champion. (Lance Armstrong)

IT’S HARD to overcome a life-threatening ADDICTION to becoming the best hitter in the league. (Josh Hamilton)

IT’S HARD TO miss 26 game winning shots…and keep shooting (Michael Jordan)

BUT IT’S EVEN HARDER TO WATCH SOMEONE ELSE DO SOMETHING YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO. NO MORE EXCUSES. GET UP. GET AFTER IT.    

PONGS CAN JUMP KINGS AND ANY ONE CAN DO ANYTHING THEY DEDICATE THEIR MINDS TO.