To learn how to overcome defeat and bounce back from adversity in sports, it can be helpful to look back through history at the greatest athletes of all time.
History is full of stories about athletes that have been cut from teams, experienced heartbreaking losses, and devastating injuries. However because the focus is usually on the career highlights of the winners, the heroic stories of their persevering journeys are often missed.
Michael Jordan was famously cut in high school from his varsity basketball team in the 10th grade. Later in his career, Jordan reflected back on the experience, “It was embarrassing not making that team. They posted the roster and it was there for a long, long time without my name on it. I remember being really mad, too.” The experienced seeded his famously resilient work ethic. “Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it and that usually got me going again.” Jordan finished his career as a global icon named MVP of the NBA Finals 6x with 6 NBA championship rings, 2 Olympic Gold Medals, and widely acclaimed as the NBA’s the greatest basketball player of all time.
I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
Michael Jordan, The GOAT
The experience of getting cut from a team or sidelined, and bouncing back stronger is not a unique narrative for elite athletes. The list goes on and on.
Bill Russell was cut from his junior varsity basketball team in high school and mostly ignored from college recruiters prior to winning 11 NBA Championships.
Abby Wambach suffered devastating World Cup losses in 2003, 2007, and 2011 before eventually accomplishing her dream of winning the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup at the end of her soccer career.
Crystal Dunn was the very last player cut from the US Women’s 2015 World Cup roster. She described the experience, “getting that phone call and being told you’re not going to the World Cup was soul crushing. I really doubted myself in that moment…I had to make the decision to pick myself up, dust myself off, just get back to work and enjoy the game again.” Four years later, in 2019, Dunn became a FIFA World Cup Champion. In 2021 she was the only American World Cup player to start in every match at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Tom Brady was looked over in the first 5 rounds of the 2000 NFL draft. Eventually selected as pick number 199, Brady was the 7th quarterback selected in the NFL draft that year. Two years later Brady led the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl in 2002. He would go on to win 7 Super Bowls in throughout career.
If you were recently cut or sidelined, you are in good company. It hurts now but might just be the extra fuel you need to sustain in the future. All of these athletes maintained a growth mindset to work harder and come back stronger. Take a tip from MJ, Wamback, Dunn and Brady. All of these athletes are examples of overcoming adversity in sports before rising to the top. It is the history of failures that pave the way to future success.
Do you know of other comeback stories about great athletes? I want to hear them! Drop me a line and share stories about famous athletes coming back from being cut.