As I've written in a separate media post, Juan Domine's rise to prominence originally came during his freshman season at the University of Houston. When the team's starting inside linebacker fell to a season-ending injury, Domine was forced to step in at an early point in his career to fill a large void in the defense. After a year of acclimating to the rigors of college football, Domine spent his sophomore and junior seasons collecting some of the nation's most prestigious hardware for his position. There are a few messages that one can take away from Domine's path to success. First, being a professional athlete in a team sport means living on the margins. At the highest level of competition, there is not a large gap between a starting player and his backup. A minor injury that allows a backup player to thrive could see the starting player's role diminish, so it's important to manage a balance between playing through injury and staying safe. Also, it's important to trust in your team's coaching staff. Even if you are a freshman who feels that you aren't ready to compete with upperclassmen, all you can do is give your best effort while on the field. Believe that your coaches will be doing the same throughout the week, and they will ensure that you will develop into the best football player that you can be.
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