May/June 2020 - 4

Diving Boldly into the Unknown
May/June 2020 Vol. 30 No. 3
Managing Editor
Wesley Sykes, 616-520-2149
wsykes@greatamericanpublish.com
Group Publisher
Brian Virgona, 616-520-2140
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Mark Goldberg, 616-520-2175
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Erica Bernard, 616-520-2143
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Deb Carnes, 616-520-2169
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Bob Ziltz, 616-520-2174
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Matt McCallum, 616-520-2133
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Training & Conditioning (ISSN 1058-3548) is published
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4 | Training & Conditioning | May/June 2020
A
By Wesley Sykes
Managing Editor
..braham Maslow, an American psychologist, once stated that
.. " in any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into
..growth or step back into safety. " In most situations, the former
should be chosen over the latter. Rarely should we rest on our laurels of past
experiences with the hopes of advancing down the path of success.
Not only is that applicable to everyday life, but also in the world of
athletics. Change is inevitable. And how one approaches change -
particularly in the face of adversity - can be a defining moment of one's
character. Will we cripple under the fear of the unknown, looking over our
shoulders of past failures? Or will we boldly step forward, learning from
experiences and accept what lies ahead?
We are all currently staring down the face of change as the world adjusts
to ever-changing dynamics that affect us all on some level or another. The
sports world is no different as athletes, trainers, coaches and many more
must now navigate the uncharted waters of staying prepared for what lies
ahead - even if what lies ahead cannot be seen right now.
No matter the situation, we all must trust the process - a phrase
borrowed from the Philadelphia 76ers that admittedly makes this Boston
Celtics fan cringe a little inside. But NBA affiliations aside, the phrase holds
true - an athlete should continue to approach their training or rehab regimen
to the best of their ability as if a season was on the horizon. Athletic Trainers
and coaches should stay in contact with their athletes and ensure a baseline
is being maintained. Don't run away from change - chase it down with the
ferocity of LeBron James looking to pin a block against the backboard on
a fastbreak. And if you find failure tripping you up along the way, use that
experience as a tool in getting over the next obstacle.
It's with that ideology that Maslow shared that I introduce myself as the
new managing sports editor of Training & Conditioning magazine.
This is undoubtedly a trying time to begin a career change with so much
in flux. But I believe there is only one way to approach this new adventure
- with a full head of steam. And that's the same way I've approached
everything in my life, dating back to my first freelance assignment from a
local website covering high school sports in Long Island, New York. I took
that same mentality to New Jersey in covering the New York Jets and brought
that professional approach back to my home state of Massachusetts, where
I've served most recently as the sports editor for two weekly newspapers.
I look forward to getting to know the inner workings of athletic trainers,
strength coaches, nutritional specialists, physical therapists, and everyone
else involved in the sports medicine field in the coming weeks, months,
and years. I'm excited to share the work of other tremendously gifted
professionals, who dedicated their time to helping others and, hopefully, aid
in their own growth along the way.
As my toes inch up to the end of the diving board and I stare down below
at the pool, there is no turning back and climbing down the ladder. That
would, in my opinion, be the more harmful of the two options. There is only
one way down. I plan to make the biggest splash possible, and I advise
others to take a similar approach.
Here's to all of us executing the perfect cannonball in the mercurial pool
of life. n
May/June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May/June 2020
