What It Takes To Be A Champion

"You can't have success without failure...you need to find the courage to get back up, refocus and finish the job."

-Ricky Watters 

Ricky's football journey is filled with trials, tribulations and life lessons that have helped shape the person he is today. It's hard to believe that prior to earning the nickname "Ricky Running Watters", his nickname growing up was "Skinny Rick." He wasn't the biggest, the strongest, or the fastest. However, he was taught since age 6 to "suck it up." He maintained an overwhelming drive to succeed which propelled him over each obstacle. He never lost sight of his goal to be the best. 

"Football became my safe haven and avenue to prove myself, not only to others but to myself. I had a chip on my shoulder. I was determined to make it and nothing could stop me."

-Ricky Watters 

Even though I hated losing, I had to accept the reality that I couldn't win every time. I had to learn how to take the loss and use it to become a better player, teammate and leader on the field. I realized that only through a loss could I even see the mistakes or shortcomings that needed to be addressed. I was blessed to have incredible teammates and coaches who had my back and consistently emphasized work ethic and discipline and taught me how to maximize my abilities. They not only mentored me, they helped me develop leadership qualities that have benefitted me on and off the field. We came from different backgrounds, were different ethnicities and had different personalities. As a team, we became a powerhouse.  We strived for nothing less than perfection. The team I'm referring to is the 1994 Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49ers. 

"I realized if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. I learned to be positive."

-Ricky Watters