MY TURN
Being a Part of the Team
Youth sports teaches life lessons for future success
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38 Washington FAMILY APRIL 2022
ccording to the Open Access
Journal of Sports Medicine, an
estimated 45 million children
participate in sports in the United
States annually. It’s no secret that sports have
benefits for young participants, from physical
and psychological to social development.

As an athlete who got started as a toddler
and played through college, I have definitely
experienced the benefits. I was focused, fit,
confident and always ready to give it 100%—
no matter the task at hand. It wasn’t until I
graduated college and made a break for the
professional world that I recognized the skills
I had developed through sports that gave me
an edge over my peers.

After graduating college as an NCAA
Division I athlete, I wasn’t quite sure which
path was right for me. Of course, I had
interests and favorite school subjects, but I felt
like I needed a strategy to figure out what my
next steps in life should be. I needed to identify
my strengths, weaknesses, interests and goals
before thinking about searching for available
job opportunities. After spending some time
mapping out these thoughts, I felt like the
picture was becoming much clearer for me.

I was ready to officially begin my job search.

A process that I thought would take a few
weeks turned into a few months. I hadn’t
realized the timeline that went along with
the job search—from resume creation and
searching job sites for interesting and available
positions to completing pages of applications.

I later found these activities were the easy part.

The wait to hear back from a job application
felt like an eternity. Through this process,
I learned that I would need to be patient to
persevere and find the perfect fit. I completed
application after application with nothing but
silence. I knew at this point that it was more
important than ever that I keep my head up and
continue to put my best foot forward. Using
feedback, I continued to adjust my resume and
approach to applications and interviews, and
the efforts finally paid off. I got the interview!
Once I landed the interview, I knew I had to
treat it like game day. I needed to prepare—do
my research, impress the hiring manager and
convince the company that they needed me on
their team. Throughout the interview, I did my
best to focus on my leadership and teamwork
skills, which had become second nature for
me. The individuals who interviewed me were
impressed to hear about my college sports
background and ability to balance training and
my schoolwork while maintaining a high GPA.

I had a great feeling following the interview—a
feeling like I was back on the field and had just
scored the winning goal.

YOUTH SPORTS COME WITH
A PLETHORA OF BENEFITS
FOR YOUNG COMPETITORS
THAT ARE EASILY
RECOGNIZED BY SOCIETY ….

After another few weeks, I got the call! I had
landed my first full-time role and was ready to
be a part of a team again. I took the initiative to
learn as much about the organization and my
new role as possible. It wasn’t long before my
leadership skills allowed me to feel confident
in taking on projects with my new colleagues.

I wanted my team to know that I could be
reliable and disciplined when we had short
timelines to complete projects. I could always
be held accountable for my work.

Youth sports come with a plethora of
benefits for young competitors that are easily
recognized by society, but it is the larger, more
impactful life lessons taught through sports
that truly help shape children and prepare
them for their future. I am thankful for my
sports journey and continue to incorporate
the lessons and skills I have learned into my
everyday life. n
Najia Hasan is the chief programs and development
officer for Koa Sports, a nonprofit organization
dedicated to shaping kids’ lives through sports.

Learn more at koasports.org.

PHOTO PROVIDED
A BY NAJIA HASAN



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