“DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES… YES!!!” That question and answer were delivered by Al Michaels as the US Hockey team defeated the Soviet Union in the hockey semi-finals of the 1980 Olympic Games.

It was February of 1980, the United States Men’s Olympic Hockey team skated into the 1980 Winter Olympics as heavy underdogs. They were a roster of college players and amateurs facing the dominant Soviet machine — a team that had defined international hockey for more than a decade. What happened in Lake Placid became one of the most iconic moments in sports history. When the final horn sounded, and the United States eventually captured gold, it was more than a win; it was a defining statement about preparation, belief, and the power of collective purpose.

If you saw the movie Miracle, you can't forget head coach Herb Brooks'  words that still resonate decades later: “Great moments are born from great opportunity.” That gold medal did not happen because of luck. It was forged in relentless conditioning drills, exacting standards, and a culture that demanded excellence long before the world was watching. It had been 46 years since that men’s team stood atop the Olympic podium, and that standard still lingers as a reminder of what disciplined pursuit can achieve.

Which brings us to this past weekend… when Jack Hughes, missing a few teeth from a previous hit, slapped the puck into the net, it ended 46-years of drought since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. This was not an underdog story like Lake Placid; it was a culmination story — the product of decades of investment in youth development, international competition, and belief that American hockey could again stand atop the world. For a nation that had waited nearly half a century, the victory symbolized more than a medal. It was validation that commitment, leadership, and relentless preparation can eventually bend history. It reminded America that excellence is rarely instantaneous — sometimes it takes 46 years of striving to reclaim gold.

The USA women’s hockey team created their own defining moment of their own at these same Olympic games, winning gold as well over Canada in OT. After a 20-year wait since their first Olympic gold in 1998, they battled Canada in a dramatic final that ended in a shootout in 2018 and then again this year for their 3rd gold medal in this team event. An Olympian trains for years for a handful of shifts, perhaps one decisive moment. That is the anatomy of excellence. It is structured, intentional, and forged in habits repeated in obscurity.

There is a powerful parallel in that for us at Roswell Rotary. We may not compete beneath Olympic lights, but we live under a standard that is real. Service Above Self is not a tagline; it is a discipline. The public sees the visible victories—millions raised for charity, scholarships awarded, leadership programs shaping students, and global impact through The Rotary Foundation. What they rarely see are the countless hours of planning meetings, sponsorship calls, spreadsheets, committee work, and early mornings that make those outcomes possible. Excellence in Rotary, like excellence in sport, is never accidental.

People join Rotary for many different reasons, and almost all of them are good and worthwhile. Some come for the fellowship, some for the speakers, some for the table they’ve sat at for years, and yes, maybe even for the fried chicken. If I’m honest, I come for all of it. I love the camaraderie, the energy, the programs, and the relationships. But we must never lose sight of “WHY” we gather every Thursday – TO SERVE OTHERS. “Service Above Self” is not a slogan — it is a calling. It calls us to step outside ourselves, to move toward need, to take action that makes our community, our country, and our world better than we found it.

Author James Clear, best known for his book Atomic Habits, teaches that small, consistent improvements compounded over time create extraordinary results. Success, he argues, is less about final achievement and more about daily systems leading to that final result— about showing up and doing the work. Rotary is no different. We may not always see the full impact of one meal served to a child in Honduras, one well dug in Panama, or one dollar raised locally through our tournament. But small acts, repeated faithfully, change lives — and changed lives change the world.

The call to action is simple: lean in. Take one step. Serve.

An Olympic athlete does not know if the gold medal will come. They train as if it will. The 1980 team did not know they would become the “Miracle on Ice.” The women in 2018 did not know a shootout would define their legacy. They simply prepared with the expectation that greatness was possible. In Rotary, we do not always know which service project will change a life. We do not always know which student we mentor will become a future leader. We do not always see the ripple effects of our giving. But we show up anyway. We prepare. We serve.

Perhaps our gold medal is not measured in podium ceremonies but in people. In the student who discovers confidence. In a family supported in a difficult season. In the first responder who feels appreciated. In the child somewhere in the world, protected from polio because Rotarians refused to quit. The lesson from Olympic ice is clear: greatness requires discipline, excellence demands sacrifice, and opportunity favors the prepared. As we continue our work this year, may we embrace that same pursuit. Every meeting is an opportunity. Every project is a chance to elevate our standard. Every act of service is a stride toward something greater than ourselves. We may never hear a national anthem played in our honor, but when a community thrives because we chose to serve—that is our gold.

Sic Vos Non Vobis

Trummie Lee Patrick III