Guest post by Demetrius Mauney-McDaniel
Growing up in the black community down south, respect was vitally important, especially to elders.
When I was a kid, we were told to go into the other room when there was company. Furthermore, children had no right to stand up for themselves when adults spoke; what adults said was always correct, regardless of whether the adult was correct or incorrect.
I grew up as a young man in a small rural town where people weren’t accepting of diversity. My identity was discovered in a game that was merely entertainment to people who pretended to care about me, and because of this, I became obsessed with being the best in every aspect of life. It was as if my respect was predicated on my performance underneath the Friday night lights.
Fast forward to being a prime starter true freshman in the running back position in the American Athletic Conference (AAC), and the praise was inevitable.
Until it wasn’t.
As a 19-year-old man five hours away from family, doing something no one in my family had done before was highly stressful. In my junior year, I began my second-year campaign on the defensive side of the ball as a nickel. Leading into the first game, there were high hopes for more playing time on the defensive side of the ball while also playing a vital role on special teams.
Until I experienced my first anxiety attack, I felt so helpless and overwhelmed by my thought processes that I needed to remove these feelings, although it worsened things.
I tried to stay strong, and I wanted to do it my way, but I finally broke after losing my great-grandfather, who raised me throughout my adolescence. From the moment I lay on the sofa of my apartment, letting the days pass me by, I didn’t want to live anymore. I didn’t feel like I had a purpose on this earth until I heard his voice for the first time. I had a spiritual encounter with God, and during that time, I realized the game was just a vessel to get me to where I needed to go.
It wasn’t my identity; the game wasn’t my purpose, but the game helped lead me to my purpose.
Demetrius Mauney-McDaniel is a dedicated disciple of Christ, husband, father, youth advocate, and coach committed to making a positive impact on others.
He has a strong foundation in recreational therapy and has obtained a Bachelor’s degree in the field. Demetrius is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. His passion for helping others extends to his work with youth, where he strives to empower and guide the next generation.
