In the manga Haikyuu, Ryūnosuke Tanaka is an average volleyball player.

He has teammates who are taller, stronger, smarter, better on defence and offence. The teams he competes against have national level representatives. Compared to these giants, Tanaka is average.

At nationals, his team faces a monster of a team, Inarizaki. In the first set, Tanaka has not played well, having missed spikes and been blocked multiple times. Inarizaki begin targeting serves towards him as they recognise the pressure he is feeling. And yet, at set point, he begins a monologue that contains my favourite line of all mangas.

“Once or twice a year, I get these really big depressive fits and get seriously down on myself… And that’s when I can’t help but think I’m just totally average.”

“By the way… Mr Average Me. Do you really have the time to be lookin’ down right now?”

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I have always believed that high level athletes require just as much mental fortitude as physical prowess. When one moment rides on years of training, hopes and dreams, will you make the safe play or the winning one that could lose it all? Now add in the choking pressure of the opponents, hours of fatigue, and the expectations of your teammates. How will you perform with these weights on your shoulders?

In these moments, what matters is not how high one can jump, or hard one can hit. What matters is their courage to look these moments dead in the eye and declare, “Bring it.”

Here is Chapter 263 and 264 of Haikyuu.

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