Let me introduce you to my son, Bodi, soon to be a 20 year old sophomore in college.

Every time I rewind this video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MU4nXCZZQA ) I see a new, amazing moment. But, I also know the full story of what it took for this moment to happen.

Let’s go back to last summer (of course, that isn’t really the beginning of the story). Bodi was having a hard time making the commitment to another year at the University of California at Santa Cruz- he wanted something he was not finding there. He started his first quarter in the fall, hesitantly, explored transfer opportunities, and visited two larger colleges. By the end of October he had his answer as his mild concussion from the summer had healed, allowing clarity into his thoughts. Filling this perceived void, he recognized, would have to come from him, that the solution could not be found outside of himself.

So, he buried himself in school and rugby, became the Social Coordinator for his team and engaged in life on a deeper level.

I talked to Bodi while the team headed south for a pre-season rugby tournament at UCLA where this video comes from- he told me that if they played like their last practice, he liked their chances. He was hopeful.

They lost the first game 0-7. They lost the second game. They couldn’t make the details come together to get the ball over the end line, but boy were they playing stand up, really tough defense. The third game, on the second day, was supposed to be easier. The Banana Slugs (really, truly the mascot of UCSC) were getting beat again, pretty solidly. They scored one try off an excellent play by their star forward from a mistake by the Santa Barbara team, but they were still losing pretty handily. Towards the end of the game, they kicked the ball out from deep in their end to try to relieve the pressure.

Up steps Bodi — he started running from the Slugs’ 20 yard line, chasing a lost cause. The first UCSB player hesitated, thinking the other guy would get it, and the ball bounced at the 50. The ball took its first funny hop as the big guy prepared to catch it at his 40. Bodi never slowed down, and toe poked it away as the guy twice his size reached to pick it up (can you do that? Is it legal?). The ball squirted straight towards the UCSB goal line with Bodi pursuing at full speed. The second funny hop at the 30 popped the ball up to chest height so Bodi never missed a step, and carried it all the way to score a truly spectacular try. They still lost. But the whole team came away from that game with such a new energy and motivation it was palpable, even from 1,000 miles away.

What do we choose to take away from this? I leave that to you to make your own decisions but for me, I see life represented in this story:

Question everything, and be willing to accept the answers.

Ask more of yourself than merely showing up- set that bar just high enough that even though you can’t do it now, the new you will make it eventually.

Put the effort in, even when you don’t feel like it, especially when the bumps in the road test every last nerve.

Know that the only time to be truly brave is when you are scared.

See your opportunity, even if it is a small, vague spot on the horizon, and give it everything you have to get there.

Know that you don’t need to do it alone, your team is around you.

Get ready for your lucky bounce. It’s coming. Believe.

Be the inspiration.

This is shaping up to be a fabulously challenging year. We can make an impact, create the change we want to see, shape our opportunities and grow into them.

There is a lot more work that needs to be done in our universe, on this planet, in this country, then can be altered by merely riding our bikes. But if we take the energy that we create by succeeding in our endeavors on the bike, the momentum generated will help carry us to greater deeds in other parts of life. Together.

Enjoy the heck out of this ski season, but in case you missed it, bike season started this week.

Cheers.