“Difficulties break some men, and make others.”
Nelson Mandela quoted by San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh in his post victory locker room speech

The past weeks found a tremendous void left with the passing of one of the most influential men of this generation when Nelson Mandela passed away at the age of ninety five.

He is remembered for his years of suffering in prison for protesting apartheid, and eventual election as the first black South African president, but also for showing forgiveness of his enemies and great ideals of peace.

Thousands of South Africans along with over ninety heads of state attended the official memorial service at the FNB soccer stadium in Johannesburg.

As a young man Mandela loved boxing, especially the training and development of mental toughness and physical endurance.

He once said, “I never did any real fighting after I entered politics. My main interest was in training; I found the rigorous exercise to be an excellent outlet for tension and stress. After a strenuous workout, I felt both mentally and physically lighter. It was a way of losing myself in something that was not the struggle.”

Mandela believed in the power of physical exercise and reportedly maintained his strength in prison by consistent daily routines of running in place, pushups and sit ups. Even in his later years he challenged his body guards to keep up with him on his pre-dawn daily walks. He understood that by taking care of his body physically he was much better prepared to lead and inspire others throughout the rest of his day.

Heavy weight boxing champion Muhammad Ali remembered Mandela when he reminisced, “What I will remember most about Mr. Mandela is that he was a man whose heart, soul and spirit could not be contained or restrained by racial and economic injustices, metal bars or the burden of hate and revenge.”

In 1995 while Mandela was president of South Africa he made tremendous progress to healing his country’s long racial division utilizing the sport of rugby. At the time in South Africa rugby was mainly played by whites, and the country’s team of the Springboks was long detested by black citizens. To many their existence represented the wounds of apartheid.

When Johannesburg was chosen as the host for the World Cup of rugby, Mandela knew the world would be watching, and not only the world, but also the citizens of his country. Racial tensions remained deeply embedded in culture, but Mandela embraced the Springboks with a sign of national unity. He even wore a Springbok jersey to their heart pounding victory over perennial favorite New Zealand in the finals of the World Cup, showing his citizens, black or white, that it was healing to the country to cheer for the same team. Great strides occurred in racial relations after Mandela’s support of rugby in his country.

Later he recalled, “Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

Nelson Mandela’s mental toughness is evident in his years of courageously facing adversity, and his lessons are relevant to all athletes who face difficulties and obstacles to their goals.

He once advised, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

His teachings are applicable to not only striving to become a better athlete, but most importantly to becoming a better person and member of society. His ideals of forgiveness and acceptance are timeless, but his presence will be deeply missed.

Mr. Nelson Mandela may you Rest In Peace.