At the end of each of their training sessions, the boys water polo team sits down to  discuss the quote of the day. But on this particular day, coach Paul Hannigan, the team’s weightlifting coach, is telling them a story about two paths: one path provides a longer and indirect route, and the other is shorter and faster to get through. But if one were to take the easier path, they would find a Bengal tiger waiting for them at the end. 

Coach Paul Hannigan, the weightlifting coach for boy’s water polo, teaches three sessions a week to keep the athletes strong and in shape year round. But their time in the weight room doesn’t only focus on the physical aspects of growth.

Every session, Hannigan selects a quote to put on the weight room’s whiteboard, usually centered around stoicism: the process of focusing on what you can control. Team captain Tyler Patay (12) resonated with this quote. 

“It’s synonymous with not taking shortcuts and working through [things],” Patay said. “Sometimes it’ll be the shortcuts that tempt you because you might get there faster. But, if you keep taking the shortcuts, eventually the Bengal Tiger is going to eat you. So you want to work through the harder path. It takes more work and perseverance, but in the end it’s all worth it.”

During every weight session, the players know what is expected of them. Everywhere you look, determined athletes work hard through challenges and strive to improve, pushing themselves closer to their goals. Hansen Peterson (10) is grateful for this environment because it motivates and pushes him to become a better athlete. 

“[Coach Paul] reminds us that we all make mistakes, but we’re all working towards the same goal of being better, which unites us. We can see that other people in our group are committing,” said Peterson. 

Another quote Hannigan has presented is from famous stoic Marcus Aurelias, “What stands in the way becomes the way.”

“If it is scary, hard, or confusing, don´t look away,” Hannigan said. “Embrace what is happening. Oftentimes we would like to avoid the challenges that present themselves when we feel ill equipped. Those challenges show up so that we have the opportunity to grow and evolve. They will keep showing up until we do.” 

The idea of learning to not run away from  but to take on the challenges in life is a big part of Hannigan’s teaching’s. Robbie Gray (11) has taken these lessons to heart.

“Coach Paul’s philosophy of embracing and even being excited to take on new challenges is something that has tremendously helped me in my life,” Gray said. “During the beginning of freshman year, before we met Coach Paul starting around December, I was getting slightly depressed because of family issues I was having that I was just trying to ignore. But learning about [Coach Paul’s] stoicism and how challenging times are really the things that make us grow the most, I took on the responsibility to deal with these issues. [I’m] even almost a little grateful for them as something that would mold me into the resilient, confident person I am today.”

Along with working hard during the process and taking on challenges, Hannigan has helped the team realize that they need to focus more on what they are able to do, rather than stressing about things they can’t do anything about. For Patay and Peterson, they both apply this to finding a balance between water polo and school, and really plugging in to the task they are completing in the present moment. 

 “If you’re in a game and you have a test the next day and you’re worried about studying, you can just put that away and worry about what you can do in the moment,” said Patay. “Because you can’t study while you’re at a game, there’s no point in even thinking about homework or tests while you’re there. You can do that later. So you might as well just focus on water polo and doing the best you can.”

Through teaching about focusing on the moment and persevering through obstacles, Hannigan has shaped athletes’ mindsets during quote talks each session and interactions with the athletes. Patay, Peterson and Gray have learned valuable lessons.

¨I am eternally grateful to Coach Paul for the guidance he gave me through a difficult time in my life, although he never knew it, and without him, I wouldn’t be the person I am today,¨ Gray said.