Writing Across the Disciplines 02/09/20

Ashleigh Palomaria 15
Athletes Work
At a glimpse, sports may seem like nothing more than leisure, an entertaining
pastime that doesnt require real world skills. Some people believe the misconception,
however, that athletes do not have to put forth effort in anything else besides their sport to
be successful. When in fact, athletes have to work, or put forth effort, in many different
areas of their lives to be successful. Athletes have to be well rounded, not just good at
their sport. Although there are many definitions of work and sports, for the purposes of
this essay, the definition I am using for sport is: a strategic activity that requires
physical effort where an individual or team competes against one another and the
definition of work is: to put forth effort in a specific area. Therefore, the success stories
of Marlen Esparza and Victor Cruz illustrates that different kinds of work are necessary
to be a successful athlete.
Marlene Esparza, an Olympic boxing champion, had to work at other sports in
order to become a successful athlete. Rudy Silva, her boxing trainer, told her to her to
join her high schools cross country team in order to increase her stamina, (Rich, 852).
Silva knew, that Cross Country would teach Esparza how to withstand long periods of
physical exercise: to run farther and faster than she thought she ever could. Running
outside on different terrains and courses gave Esparza the experience of learning how to
adapt and tolerate all conditions. Cross Country demonstrated to Esparza how to pace
herself, then when the time comes, sprint it out to the finish line. In this way, Esparza was
able to become a better boxer because she could hold out longer than her opponents,
adjust to all situations and styles of boxing, become self-motivated, and know when to
give her all. Similarly, Silva had Esparza join the swim team. The swim team allowed for
her to learn endurance, experience the use of all muscles at once, and individualism.
When boxing, you use all of your strength to knock down your opponent and no one is in
the ring with you to help fight. So joining the swim team helped Esparza become a better
boxer because she literally had to put her whole body into swimming and couldnt rely on
anyone else but herself to be successful. Therefore, Esparza had to work at cross-country
and swimming in order to become a successful boxing athlete.

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Likewise, Esparza had to work in her education and become involved with the
debate team in order to become a successful athlete. When Esparza first inquired about
boxing with her trainer Silva, she was only elven years old and was enrolled in a
disciplinary program because of her behavior at school (Rich, 849). Silva at first did
not want to train her, but then made a deal saying, Ill train you butfirst you have
to return to your old school (Rich, 849). So in order for Esparza to have ever been
trained as boxer, she had to go back to school. Silva felt that education was an important
value in a boxer and in a person. Esparza then was able to rise up to the challenge Silva
laid before her in academics. At eighteen years old, Esparza graduated from Pasadena
High School as class president with a 4.6 GPA (Rich, 853). By going above and beyond
the required limits for graduating, Esparza learned to become a better boxer. She had the
want and the will to do better. Esparza expected more from herself, and dared herself to
go farther than what people expected of her. In this way, she became a better athlete
through education because she learned self discipline in her studies and learned how to
set higher goals to achieve. Similarly, Silva also suggested for Esparza to join the debate
team. The purpose of joining the debate team was to prepare Esparzas people skills and
communication skills. The debate team allowed Esparza to stand up and talk in front of
large groups of people about hard issues. This boosted her confidence when speaking to
others and taught her how to do necessary research to have a strong debate. Thus, Esparza
became a better boxing athlete through education and the debate team because she
learned self-discipline, how to communicate more effectively, and self-confidence.
In turn, Victor Cruz, National Football League (NFL) athlete, had to work at other
sports in order to become a successful athlete. His mother, who was an influential person
in his life, disapproved of violent sports, so she preferred him to be involved in others.
Cruz thus participat[ed] in them all, and took karate too (Pennington, 869). Cruz played
baseball, basketball and I would not be surprised if he did track and field. These sports
taught him strategic thinking and ball awareness. Even though you have less space on an
infield or in a gym than football, these small, controlled environments taught Cruz how to
maneuver around his opponents and how to trust his teammates. While, karate taught him
patience, independence and respect. Cruzs mother thought, Dont let him become idle,
and he will be productive (Pennington, 869). In other words, she led him to become

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involved, active, and outgoing in other sports in order to be successful. Although she
probably did not have professional football in mind, the skills she taught him, by forcing
him to play other sports, allowed for Cruz to learn other lessons that football could not
have taught him in the same way. Thus, Cruz became a better athlete through sport skills
outside of football.
However, Cruz also had to learn to be disciplined in his academics to be a
successful athlete. In fact, his academics are exactly what held him back from being in
the NFL. Even from a young high school age, Cruz did not have the motivation or
discipline to score high enough on his College Boards to qualify for an NCAA
Scholarship (Pennington, 869). Cruz did not put forth the effort in studying to get a good
ranking on standardized tests that would give him a full ride to University of
Massachusetts (UMASS). Against his mothers wishes, he became lazy and unproductive
in his education. He was admitted into Bridgton Academy for academic improvement
so that he could play football for UMASS. Bridgton was supposed to supply him the
skills he needed to succeed academically. Although his teachers and administrators did
equip him, he just didnt make going to class or doing homework his priority
(Pennington, 871). Cruz would not discipline himself to do the work. Eventually Cruz
was admitted to UMASS; however, he was soon kicked out because he lacked the will to
achieve the GPA he needed. The Dean of UMASS said, he would have to get good
grades in order to return to UMASS to play football (Pennington, 871). Cruz had to step
up in his schooling or not come back. Cruz just chose not to work in school.
Nevertheless, he was able to become disciplined in his education, once he found
the motivation he needed, in order to become a successful athlete. Once Cruz finally
started taking his education seriously he was reinstated as a UMASS student and
graduated in 2009 (Pennington, 872). Achieving and really earning his college degree
taught Cruz how to do the things he thought he could not do. By studying and putting
forth effort in his academics, Cruz learned to attack and conqueror the things in life he
struggled with. In turn, this made him a better football player because he now is able to
set higher goals for himself, push through and achieve what he set out to do. Cruzs
academics allowed him to have a more positive, determined mentality. Which, in turn,
made him be a better athlete because he is now willing to do the work necessary to win

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games in his sport. Therefore, in order to be a successful athlete, different kinds of work
are vital.
In conclusion, in order to be a successful athlete, you have to work in all areas of
your life. You cannot be good at just your sport and think youll get by. Marlen Esparza
and Victor Cruz proved that you have to work in education and even other sports to be
successful in your own sport. Having experience in school and playing for other teams
allows you to learn other necessary skills such as communication, endurance and
discipline.