Life Lessons from the Court: How Sports Prepare Us for Life’s Toughest Challenges

A few years ago, we had the privilege of hosting Mason Sawyer on our podcast. For those who may not know Mason’s story, his life was tragically altered by a sudden dust storm on July 25th, 2021. While returning from a family reunion he couldn’t attend, a horrific crash claimed the lives of his wife, Courtney, children Riggins and Frankie, his brother Race, and his nephew Ryder. Only his son, Blue, survived.

Sitting in the hospital after such a devastating loss, Mason found himself reflecting on the lessons he learned during his years as a high school and college basketball player. His high school coach’s words echoed in his mind: “Focus on what you can control. Don’t ride the roller coaster. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.” At that moment, Mason realized that while he had no control over the tragedy that had unfolded, he did have complete control over how he chose to respond to it.

As Mason shared on our podcast, “Losing my family was such a big, terrible, sad story, but it was the simple little life lessons I learned playing sports that helped me the most, honestly.” This profound insight led us to a deeper conversation in this week’s podcast about the powerful, often overlooked lessons that sports can teach us—lessons that go far beyond the playing field.

Coaches, Your Words Matter

Coaches, we want to remind you that the small things you say in practice or during a timeout can have a lasting impact on your athletes’ lives. The simple, everyday wisdom you impart—like focusing on what’s within their control—might be the very thing that helps them when life throws its most difficult challenges their way.

Parents, Let Them Face the Hardships

Parents, it’s natural to want to protect your children from pain and difficulty. But sometimes, it’s important to let them face adversity on their own. Shielding them from every challenge might seem like a way to keep them safe, but it can also prevent them from learning the resilience and problem-solving skills they’ll need later in life. Sports provide opportunities to learn how to deal with loss, failure, and frustration; those small moments of “sports struggle” can prepare them for the future. Don’t rob them of those opportunities.

At the end of the day, sports are about more than just the game. They’re about preparing us for life. And the lessons we learn—on the court, the field, or the sidelines—often stay with us long after the final buzzer sounds. Mason’s story is a testament to that truth, and we hope it serves as a reminder of sports’ powerful role in shaping who we become as individuals.