A big part of our mission at the Institute for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development is to help student-athletes translate their athletic experiences into valuable lessons for the classroom, relationships, and all areas of life. Over winter break this year, Neumann University’s Softball team read Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion, a book of transformative stories by Fr. Gregory Boyle, SJ recounting his experiences ministering through gang intervention in Los Angeles.

Through the communal work of Homeboy Industries, where “nothing stops a bullet like a job,” Fr. Boyle has spent over 20 years showing that through unconditional love, connection, and meaningful work experience, brighter futures are possible for those whom society fears. Fr. G inspires us to build kinship, where there is no longer an “us and them” – there is only an “us.”  He also challenges us to “seek to find compassion, to stand in awe of what others carry, rather than to stand in judgment of how they carry it.” Having journeyed through the reading as individuals with reflective prompts and journals, the team returned to campus after break to process their experiences and determine how to apply the lessons of love, kinship and compassion within their team and their lives as a whole.

One team member, sophomore Melissa Bond, was moved by Fr. Boyle’s story and wanted to similarly serve in our own backyard. On her own time and with her own money, Melissa made gift bags for homeless individuals in Philadelphia filled with food, socks, and other necessities. Inspired by the impact of Fr. Boyle’s book on our student-athletes, I sat down with Melissa to learn more about her service project and the lessons she’ll take with her through college and beyond.

 
J: Tell me about your experience reading Tattoos on the Heart with your team. What did you learn? 

M: I learned a lot about my teammates. I started to see them become vulnerable and it helped us connect more as a team. I also learned more reflecting with the team than just by myself because on my own, I’d only have one perspective. The team gave me 20 different perspectives. That diversity of perspectives helped me understand Father G’s points even more.

J: Did any part of the book speak to your experience in college athletics? Your experience as a teammate?

M: Life is not just about sports, but about having support from others in all areas. Whether it’s my teammates or family, I know they’ll always be there to help me through struggles. The book also taught me how to be a better teammate and understand that people come from different situations and different ideologies, like the ‘homeboys’ and ‘homegirls’ [whom Fr. G serves]. We must accept everyone and not judge them, but rather treat them like our own and always be there to help.

J: What prompted you to put together your service project?

M: For Lent, I try to do an act of service every Sunday rather than giving something up. I’ve always been interested in helping homeless people. After reading Tattoos on the Heart, I was inspired to help them more and I understood that no matter the reason they are homeless, the right thing is to help them and offer support.

J: Did you learn anything new from your service project?

M: I learned a lot about myself, since many of my friends didn’t understand why I was helping these people or why I’d spend my own money. My mom didn’t want me to go because Philly can be dangerous, and some homeless people do have mental illnesses or could act violently. But these thoughts never really entered my mind or bothered me because many people refuse to help the homeless. Just like Fr. G didn’t care about how the homeboys and girls came from gangs or even had killed people, I also felt that it’s not my place to judge the homeless, but to help them.

J: What have you learned as a college athlete? From working with the Institute? From reading the book?

M: It’s not about me as an individual and showcasing my skills so I get recruited or stand out, but about the team as a whole and encouraging everyone on the team to be their best on and off the field. It’s important to always be a support system to each other, and it isn’t about just one star player, but everyone contributing in their own small way.

I also learned that being on the bench or sitting out is a position on its own. You should always be on your feet and be supportive to the team. I’ve always loved one quote from Kobe Bryant: “I’ll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it’s sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.”

J: How will you take what you’ve learned as a college athlete and apply it to other areas of your life going forward?

M: My dream job is actually to work with serial killers, and to end the death penalty. It’s the same thing; people say, “why would you ever want to do that?” To me, it doesn’t matter. Many of these people have mental illnesses and don’t understand what they’re doing. It’s not up to me to judge them. I just want to help them. I hope to help offer therapy and better them throughout their lives, whether they want that help or not.

I can definitely relate this to Tattoos because Father G doesn’t care where the people he helps come from. He just wants to help better them. When they are released from jail he supports them by giving them jobs and training. It’s not just about punishment, but rehabilitation.

Also, being part of a team has taught me to work with everybody, not just to be the one person to take control. Life always has to be a team effort. Everyone contributes multiple ideas, and you can’t just accomplish everything on your own.