Rev. Rob Hagan | Senior Associate Athletic Director
“The world is full of success stories, and we know that life is also full of struggle. It is amazing when we come to realize how connected those two experiences are to one another. Success is so often the fruit of strife and struggle. When we see people, who make it to the top of the mountain, let us not forget about the climb, the missteps, the people along the way who help us overcome the obstacles on the road.
I have had the privilege and the joy of working closely with our Villanova Men’s Basketball team. The recent success is known to all, and everyone loves to point to the pinnacle of success culminating in the National Championships in both 2016 and 2018.
One year that people rarely talk about is 2015. The year when Villanova was knocked out in the first round…when we came up short…when we did not win it all! I can recall a locker room full of broken hearts and dreams. There were unfulfilled expectations, national media reporting using words like “failure”, crying flutists and yet another Villanova team coming up short.
It was inspiring to see each member of that team taking ownership of things that “I” could have done better. No finger-pointing but rather, with the passage of some time, renewed hearts, and minds…There came a humble desire to learn, grow and strive to get a better mind, body, soul and spirit.
The same fallen broken-hearted teammates went back to work in the summer with a renewed sense of urgency, humility, wisdom, and commitment to the core values that make up the Villanova Basketball family. The hardship and disappointment became the very catalyst for growth, and a spirit of unselfishness to accomplish a common goal. The goal was NOT to win a Championship but to become the best version of self and team we could possibly be.
It was Nelson Mandela who said: “I never lose. I either win or learn.” A friend of mine offered the insight he was given after wallowing in a recent setback for too long. “When depression sets in…through God’s grace we can rearrange those letter and spell: I Pressed On!”
Let us never be afraid to fail. Let us continue to live boldly and with courage to learn and grow. Let us strive for success, not by avoiding all setbacks but by moving through them to higher ground together!”
