Dear Younger Me – Zach Novoselsky
The Leave Your Mark Series invites current and former college athletes to address their former selves to provide advice, comfort, or anything else they feel may be important for up-and-coming generations to consider when determining their college athletic goals.
To read the entire Leave Your Mark Series, head over to www.athletestoathletes.com
Dear Younger Zach,
As a high school kid, going through the phases of recruiting, you have no idea of how big of an impact this game called ‘Football’ will have on your life.
Coaches are calling, and scholarships are being offered, but this process is much bigger than a school choice.
As time goes on you will realize which coaches are genuine, and which are offering smoke and mirrors. Stay true to your values and look for authenticity. Eventually, you will pick Western Michigan University, and you’ll never look back.
Those five years at WMU will teach you more than the 18 years before it.
It will teach you to be patient. The expectation was to start right away based on conversations throughout the recruiting process. That is not the case.
You will sit for 3 years behind three players who get drafted in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round of the NFL Draft.
Don’t beat yourself up.
Learning from three teammates who will go on to earn more than $100 Million combined in NFL Contracts will teach you plenty. They are masters at their craft, and you will learn how to maximize your potential by watching, competing, and growing with them.
You’ll learn how to be resilient, as you go on to have five surgeries in five years.
No, I’m not kidding.
Rehab and therapy will be humbling and present quite the challenge throughout your career. Leaning on others at your lowest and learning to celebrate the small wins will be pivotal on this journey and beyond.
Embrace the difficult times, as they will teach you much more than the easy ones.
Live in the moment.
These will be the greatest 5 years of your life so far. You will make lifelong friends who will be by your side for years to come.
From the dark days of training camp to the celebration of winning a conference championship. This journey will teach you that it is only possible to do so much as an individual, but anything is possible as a team.
These friends will go on to become your groomsmen at your wedding, uncles to your kids, and family in every sense of the word.
Give back to others.
You will quickly realize that your impact will live on for years to come. How you handle yourself at practice, film study, weight lifting, and so on will be emulated by younger players on the team.
It is your duty to set the example for them moving forward. In addition, encourage them to participate in outside charity work and community service. These acts will come full circle.
After you graduate, everything will change.
You will clean out your locker, leave the facility, and must figure out your next move.
Fall back on your training. You’ve been given all the tools to succeed in any circumstance.
Deciding to play tackle football for the first time during your freshman year of high school will prove to be a pivotal move in your life. Don’t wish away a second of it, because you’ll look back and reminisce on the good times, great people, and unbelievable experiences.
– Future Zach
