A letter from SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Council) President Alyssa Fischer ...
Sharing encouragement and perspective to my fellow Milwaukee student-athletes:
On March 5th, 2020, my college basketball career came to a close in the second round of our Horizon League conference tournament. As I walked off the court for the last time, I couldn't help but feel disappointed that we weren't still fighting for a conference title. Five years of hard work, eighteen years of dedication to the sport, and it was all over with the sound of a buzzer. However, as I hugged my teammates, coaches, and parents after the game, that disappointment and sadness quickly turned to gratefulness and honor. With each hug, I realized how much more significant the game was than just dribbling and shooting a ball. As my dad squeezed me tightly, I remember him saying, "I hate that I won't get to watch you play anymore, but I am excited to have my daughter back."
Fast forward just two weeks later, as I shuffle through social media, my heart breaks for those senior athletes who got their final season stripped from them, and the athletes who put in countless hours, days, and months of hard work, just to have an entire season cancelled. As I sit in isolation like the rest of our world, I can't help but recall all of the little things I've been taking for granted; as an athlete, and in life in general. Simple high-fives from my teammates, game nights with friends, even crowded Summerfest concerts… but above all else, the beauty of life itself. We see people around the world fighting for their lives, struggling to find resources, and losing their loved ones. And all I keep asking God is, is this a wake-up call?
At this moment, we as athletes are truly united. We are united because we've all had to say goodbye to sports for the time-being. This gives us all a chance to remember that we are not merely defined by our performance and that our worth goes beyond just how fast we can run, how hard we can hit, or how many points we can score. And although there is endless uncertainty right now, I trust that there is a reason for all this. Have we as athletes let our sports take over our lives? Do we forget to be sons & daughters, sisters & brothers, friends, and our true selves? Have we forgotten to just rest in how blessed we truly are?
My faith is the only thing that cannot waver in times of uncertainty. Perhaps God is allowing us to take a step back and reflect on other aspects of our lives that we have been forgetting. Although we do not know what is ahead, I know that God is still good in the midst of it all. A coach once told me that it can be easy for us to have faith when times are good, but true faith is enduring even when we can't seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As a fellow student-athlete at Union University,
Kristen Pickens, explains, "take it day by day, choose faith over fear, peace over panic, and love above all else." To my fellow Panthers and friends, keep your heads high, and remember you are loved beyond your abilities… you are loved simply for being you and no matter what tomorrow brings, we will stand united as one.
