When life knocks you down, A-Rod reminds you to get back up
By Megan Lopez
Being a pro-athlete is a dream for many people, when you consider all the successes and, let’s be honest, the amount of money they earn doesn’t sound too bad either. But what is usually not considered is the struggles to get there, and those faced during and after a pro athletes career.
Alex Rodriguez, aka A-Rod, who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees, lead a panel to talk about the difficulties that many athletes encounter on and off the field, and shared advice on how to overcome adversities. With his new show “Back in the Game” premiering March 13th on CNBC- it will pair Alex Rodriguez with former pro athletes and help them get back on the right financial path after struggling to keep their earnings instead of spending them off.
A-Rod describes becoming a pro athlete when he was 17 years old as “a great feeling yet at the same time stressful”. He says that “the innocent climb is hard because you just want to be at the top” and that you must remember that at the very beginning, fundamentals to the sport are key.
His advice to young players entering the big leagues is to first get a full understanding of media and understand the mechanics of it all. In other words, understand what behind the scenes of sports looks like through the tv. What do sports fans want to see? Know what the media will always focus on with an athlete.
Second, he wants every athlete to remember that it’s about the name on the front of your jersey, and not the name on the back- remember there is no I in team instead you are all one and play as one. As a leader you can’t make your teammates do what you yourself wouldn’t do.
A-Rod faced many struggles throughout his career. One of the most impactful was his suspension in 2014, where he suspended an entire season for taking performance enhancing drugs. This is where A-Rod says he reached his lowest point.
After coming back from suspension A-Rod was then at his highest point in his career, and went on to lead the Yankees to a successful season and just three years later he’s about to launch his reality show and is dating one of the most successful Latinas, J-LO. He described the importance of the process, and how after a mistake you must first take full responsibility for your mistakes because it will empower you. “You have to get to the bottom to get to the top,” A-Rod said.
Something to take away from this panel, and A-Rod himself, is that life is going to be full of struggles and failures, but that’s what makes you stronger and able to get back up to fight even harder. In the end it’ll all be worth it, you only have one life so live it up to the fullest doing what you really love with a passion.
About the author:
Megan Lopez was born and raised in Austin, Texas and graduated with a degree in Mass Communications / Electronic Media from Texas State University.
