The Mess We Leave

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Ace Aquatics Weekly Newsletter

The Mess We Leave

By: Sam Ybarra

As an Ace Aquatics swimmer, I will display leadership.  I will always be capable of leading
because I understand that even the best of leaders requires help and guidance. 
 

Longevity /lon·​gev·​i·​ty/, noun 1. the length of which something lasts. 

As humans we all have the inherent desire to have the painting in the museum on the wall for eternity; our work and creative legacy lasting long beyond a singular life span is inspiration to do meaningful work. Artists leave behind beautiful colorful works of art in an attempt to capture their creative essence. In the modern era, it is far more difficult to create a lasting legacy that goes beyond our lifetime.

After high school, and prior to swimming in college, I worked in a restaurant called the Famous Toastery. I was a busboy and learned a lot about the things that people leave behind, both customers and my fellow coworkers. I did what I was supposed to do and ended up getting employee of the month in December.  Often times I felt confused and frustrated with the new busboy staff that was hired due to their lack of knowledge of how things worked at the restaurant. Eventually I left the restaurant. After a year, I came back and found out that the restaurant had closed.

What do beautiful works of art and bussing tables have to do with each other you may ask? I was (at best) remembered as a decent busboy that worked hard. At worst I was likely recalled as the busboy who didn’t teach any of the new staff the tricks of the trade. I essentially left a mess for someone else to clean up. The lesson in this is that there is a beautiful thing being created within Ace. Older athletes understand the culture more than those that are new. Leadership is guiding the ship in the proper direction so the course is set long after any one athlete is gone.

The goal should never be to come back to this place and reminisce on the “good ol' days” and how our program used to be special. Future athletes upholding the culture is a direct reflection on the previous generation of athletes. The goal should be to come back and see the program and the current leadership better off then how you left it, with a picture painted that is a beautiful legacy for the young generations to see. 

 

“If you leave this place and upon your return none of your records are broken, there aren’t better people, better students, better leaders, and better human beings then as leaders you have failed.”

- Mark Morehouse