Anchored in Love Before the First Frame

Anchored in Love Before the First Frame

It’s early morning before Bella’s tournament. The room is still. Barbi and Bella are asleep, and I slip out into the fresh air with water in hand, the steady rhythm of insects making their morning music in the background. I walk with purpose, building up my pace, getting my blood moving, preparing myself for a full day ahead—five more games of qualifying, and then round robin match play on the E.J. Tackett pattern.

As I walk, I think about identity. Not just Bella’s identity as an athlete, but my own identity as a parent standing behind her. Am I anchored in love for who she is, or am I caught up in results, scores, and standings? Too often, athletes and supporters alike get consumed by numbers on a scoreboard. But true identity isn’t found in outcomes—it’s grounded in love, process, and growth.

When you carry yourself from that place, everything changes. You stand differently. You represent not just yourself, but the perform and the process. You focus on feedback and growth, knowing that chasing results alone often takes you further away from them.

It reminds me of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Both said no one could have expectations greater than their own. Their standards were so high internally that outside voices couldn’t shake them. That’s what it means to be anchored in identity: grounded in love, committed to process, and untouchable by outside noise.

That’s my reflection today—whether you’re the athlete, the parent, or the fan, ask yourself: What am I anchored in?