It takes sacrifice to achieve greatness

Ever since we were children, we were taught the ultimate goal is to be successful. We were told to strive for great careers like doctors, lawyers or professional athletes. You could look at television and see these people garner nice possessions and receive love and respect from their peers. What we didn’t realize, is the amount of dedication and sacrifice it takes to reach these goals.

While everyone wants to be successful, few are equipped to make the necessary sacrifices it takes to achieve it. Many see the finished product of those they admire on TV but are not present to witness the physical, mental and emotional toll it takes to get there.

One player who sacrificed everything for his team was former Marshall Thundering Herd and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Left-wich grew up in Washington, D.C. and lettered in football, basketball and baseball during his high school years.

During his time at Marshall, Leftwich was a star. As he approached his last season with the Herd, he had cemented himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country. He was a Heisman Trophy candidate and some projected him to be the number one pick in the 2003 NFL Draft.

On Nov. 2, 2002, Leftwich’s NFL dreams flashed before his eyes. After taking a hit to the leg in the first quarter against the Akron Zips, Leftwich exited the game. At first trainers wrapped his knee and let him sit for one drive. With Leftwich out, the Zips scored a touchdown.

Noticeably hobbled, Leftwich went back into the game and provided instant offense for the Herd, leading them to a touchdown on his first drive back. Despite this, spectators knew something was wrong as Leftwich couldn’t put any weight on his leg. After a second look, Marshall’s medical team believed he had suffered an injury so serious that they ordered the signal-caller to go to the hospital and undergo x-rays.

With Leftwich out, the Zips began to dominate the game. Marshall’s offense made mistakes that turned into 17 unanswered points for Akron. The Zips were up 24-10 at the half.

In a miraculous effort, Leftwich returned to the stadium and went back onto the field early in the second half. Once back on the field, it took only seven plays for Leftwich to drive down the field and score a touchdown to get the Herd back into the game.

It all came down to crunch time in the 4th quarter. After a 47-yard throw, Leftwich was unable to make it down the field due to his leg being in so much pain.

In a scene straight out of a movie, the offensive lineman picked Leftwich up and carried him down the field to continue playing. Despite everyone’s efforts, Marshall lost to Akron 34-20.

After the game, x-rays confirmed that Leftwich had suffered a fracture in his tibia. However, Leftwich was still able to play the rest of the season. Showing true courage, the Herd didn’t lose another game in the regular season and won the Mid-American Conference championship against Toledo. For Leftwich, his sacrifice paid off as he was selected with the seventh overall pick by the Jaguars in the 2003 NFL Draft despite his injury.

Leftwich sacrificed his entire future to be great for Marshall University. Instead of sitting out the rest of the season, he willed himself to play on one leg and led his team to a championship. If he would have gotten hit the wrong way again, his career and chances of earning millions of dollars in the NFL could’ve been over. Leftwich knew what was on the line for him but his determination helped him put that aside and play hard in spite of his circumstances.

A wise man once said, “If a person wants something they’ve never had before, they’ll have to do something they’ve never done before.” With that said, to achieve the highest of heights, you must make the proper sacrifices in order to reach them.

I understood what it meant to sacrifice when I moved out here. I left everything I knew back in Georgia to pursue a goal. Yes, some days are tougher than others. I have no family, friends or anybody that can truly understand what I go through out here. I’d be lying if I said the constant feeling of being alone doesn’t weigh on me at times. But, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make in order to begin my career as a sports journalist. I saw the bigger picture and had to take advantage of the chance given to me.

For most of us, success isn’t something that will fall in our laps. You have to be willing to sacrifice your time, body, effort and comfortability to achieve it.

It’s not supposed to be easy. There will be a lot of late nights and early mornings. You may feel overwhelmed and misunderstood. At times, you will have to be your own cheerleader. However, if you are willing to make sacrifices and put in the work, it will all be worth it someday.