I think that's the greatest thing about team sports is that

Jordan Larson, the warrior of the volleyball court and captain of her nation’s champions, once spoke these words of eternal wisdom: “I think that's the greatest thing about team sports is that you're not in it alone.” Though they are simple in sound, they are as profound as any teaching of the ancients. For they remind us that the greatest strength of humanity is not found in the solitary figure striving against the world, but in the fellowship of many hearts bound together for a single purpose. In team sports, as in life itself, the highest victories are born of unity.

The meaning is clear: the burden is lighter when carried by many, the joy is deeper when shared among companions, and the sting of defeat is softened when shoulders lean against each other. To stand alone may appear heroic, but it is fragile. To stand with others is to be rooted like a mighty forest, where no single tree can be torn down without the strength of the whole resisting. This is why Larson calls the togetherness of a team the “greatest thing”—because it is not only about winning games, but about never being left to face life’s storms in isolation.

History itself confirms this truth. Think of the Spartan phalanx, where each warrior’s shield did not guard himself alone, but the comrade at his side. Alone, a Spartan was only a man; together, they became an unbreakable wall of iron. In the same way, in the huddle of athletes, in the roar of the crowd, in the clasped hands of victory, one finds the ancient truth: that the power of many exceeds the sum of each individual.

Jordan Larson’s own story reflects this. For years she bore the weight of leading her team through heartbreaks and near-misses, yet she never shouldered that burden alone. In Tokyo 2020, when the U.S. women’s volleyball team finally won its first Olympic gold, Larson’s tears were not the tears of a solitary victor but of one who knew that dozens of hands, voices, and sacrifices had carried her there. She embodied the truth that no crown is worn by one head alone—it rests upon the whole body of the team.

The wisdom here extends beyond courts and fields. In families, in communities, in nations, the same principle endures: you are not in it alone. When we forget this, we fall into despair, believing our burdens are too heavy. But when we remember it, when we open our hearts to others and allow ourselves to carry and be carried, then even the heaviest load can be borne. The power of the team is not confined to sports—it is the very heartbeat of human survival and greatness.

The lesson for us is this: seek the fellowship of others. Do not isolate yourself in pride, nor carry your struggles in silence. Find your team—be it your family, your friends, your colleagues—and bind yourself to them with loyalty, humility, and love. Offer your strength when others falter, and accept their strength when your own fails. In this mutual giving and receiving, you will discover what Larson declared: that the greatest gift is knowing you are not alone.

Therefore, let this teaching be passed down: in every battle, in every endeavor, in every season of life, strive to be part of a team. Guard one another, lift one another, and rejoice together. For while victories alone may fade quickly, victories shared resound for a lifetime. And when defeat comes, as it must, it is easier to rise again when many hands are there to lift you.

And so, remember Larson’s wisdom: the greatness of team sports—and of life itself—is that we do not stand alone. To belong, to unite, to share both triumph and trial—this is the path not only to success, but to the fullness of the human spirit.