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Attitude is Everything!!
- Derek Arsenault (CSEP-CPT, PN1)
- Aug 26
- 4 min read
This is a different kind of post. An "ah-ha moment" for me in 2025. I'm sharing it here as I feel it does connect with our deep health and daily lifestyle.
I coach our women's division 1 soccer team in the Trenton Sockers club locally, and just last night finished my 4th season with this amazing group of women. This club has been a part of my life since I was 17-years old. The blue and yellow is a part of me; memories and experiences, friendships and a love for the beautiful game. I love being a part of this team and continuing to give back to the club that gave me so much in my lifetime. ⚽
I remember hearing stories the past couple seasons, including this season about other teams' players / "coaches" saying "It's just women's league" or "who cares, let it go" (when arguing about a refferee's call or something)... That attitude used to piss me off and I'd think "WTF?" but this season brought on a different feeling for me.
My personal attitude is and has always been, if you're involved in a competitive division of sport (coach or player), when YOU decided to be part of a TEAM, then you're there to be competitive and improve all the time both as a team or individual. Yes, we're all adults. Yes, we all have careers / jobs to go to the next morning. Yes, in the end, there are more important things than soccer (debatable 😂). But while you're there, why not put your heart into it? Play hard, build your game along with your team's game, learn, experience the game and take it all in. Most importantly - feel good about that effort, teamwork and experience! Especially today when there are other options for people who don't want to be competitive to play in, such as social leagues or clubs; Go play there if you don't care!
I've realized this season, in hearing some of these stories over the past couple years that it doesn't as much blow my mind as much as I feel bad for those people. Why? Because it's most likely a sign that they aren't passionate about much in their life. They aren't proud. They don't value personal growth and hard work. They've lost any desire (if it was ever there) to personally grow and be better at something they (hopefully) love to do! That's sad. They miss out on that feeling of putting your heart into something and being rewarded with a passion for the sport, the love of your teammates and the memories it brings for the rest of your life.
Next year is 40-years that I will have been involved in this beautiful game whether as a player, coach or referee, and I still love the effort to study the game, share my love for the game and to be passionate about the game. As I was raised; If you commit to something, put in your best effort. In doing so, you can be proud knowing you did your best for yourself and your teammates. If you're attitude is "who cares", I truly believe you need to check in with yourself to ask "why am I even there in this case?".
To connect this to our deep health, it makes me think about conversations I've had with people in the past decade who really have lost their passions, hobbies and fun in their daily routines. We slog through days working too much, over-scheduling ourselves too much, staring into our devices too much... all the while losing the sense of accomplishment that doing things you love can bring!
When we're not having fun or passionate about something, we're less likely to get out and DO something (especially active)
When we're not doing things we love to do, it's easy to slide into a "blahness" or worse, into a depression
When we have no reprieve from work and other responsibilities (I.e. time for ourselves) we accumulate mental, emotional and spiritual stress loads that eventually create negative health outcomes
When we have little to nothing to be excited about and/or be a part of, our existential health takes a massive hit (our sense of being, belonging and purpose)
When we don't offer ourselves those moments of fun and excitement in our days and/or weeks, we don't balance life's tougher days with positive vibes and enjoyment.
You don't have to be "the best" at whatever you choose to do to have passion and a love for the hobby/sport/activity.
You don't have to make money at your passion to keep your heart full.
You don't have to follow suit with others who don't have the same love for your chosen activity/sport/hobby.
YOU need to fill YOUR heart with things YOU love to do, in this ONE life we get to live. Have fun with it! Just be sure you ARE having fun in your days!
No matter how big or small that may be.
I know I am.
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