A Really Great Dad: The Impact of Cornell Sports

I’m sure many alumni could offer a few words about how Cornell sports impacted them, but I’ve only been able to personally witness that impact in one person: Abe Tubbs ‘94. At Cornell, Abe pursued a B.S.S. in business and economy and played on the basketball team. He has since been inducted into the athletics Hall of Fame. He and his wife contributed to the construction of the Small Athletic and Wellness Center. This resulted in an area of the building, the Tubbs Functional Fitness Area, being named after him.

He also happens to be my dad.

In this article, I get the pleasure and honor of writing not about Abe Tubbs ’94, but about Dad. Getting to grow up with my dad has allowed me to see firsthand how beneficial his experience at Cornell has been in his everyday life. I’ve experienced how Dad’s time as a Ram pays off in his parenting. The lessons he learned at Cornell are now lessons he actively teaches my brothers and I. As a member of the track and field team at Cornell, Dad’s experience playing basketball at Cornell is more relevant to me now than ever. Ram athletics are something we share. What he learned as an athlete now applies to me and my own sport. Because of his time at Cornell, Dad is a better person, husband, and parent.

Dad says being a Ram helped him to develop many skills he uses in life, such as time management and accountability. “It [also] taught me the valuable lesson of hard work,” Dad told me. “If you really want a certain result, you have to put in the effort necessary to achieve it.” In his parenting, Dad has always emphasized the importance of having a good work ethic. He coached my softball, soccer, and basketball teams when I was young. More than anything, he wanted my teammates and I to develop into players and people who knew how to work hard and think positively. He had the same attitude about academics. Dad was always encouraging me to focus on my studies and get my homework done.

Cornell basketball also gave my dad a team to be a part of, a collective goal to work towards, and a group effort to take pride in. “Wearing the purple C gave me a sense of pride and belonging that I wouldn’t have otherwise experienced,” he said. Dad has always encouraged me to be proud of my achievements and the achievements of my team. He also urges me to be constantly inclusive and friendly. Dad has always believed that the way an athlete treats their teammates is much more important than their skill level or stats. Cornell basketball showed him how important it is to feel like a valued member of a group. His advice helps me to create that type of environment for my teammates.

The most significant thing for Dad, though, was what his experience playing basketball at Cornell taught him about teamwork and relationships with others. “I loved being a part of something larger than myself and competing with and against my peers,” he said. He learned that with the help of others, he could accomplish things he couldn’t on his own. “Achieving results with and through others in addition to [my] own individual recognition allowed me to see that I could get to greater levels of success by working together,” said Dad.

I know that he truly takes this to heart. He is always quick to give credit to others. He celebrates their accomplishments and shares his own recognition with those who helped him to succeed. Dad taught me that the actions I take and the work I do affects many more people than myself. “[My experience as a Cornell athlete] forced accountability upon me and helped me realize my preparation and contributions were an effort that impacted many individuals,” he said. “It wasn’t just about me.”

Dad says current Rams should remember to truly appreciate the time they get to spend competing in college. “Really live in the moment. Compete hard and recognize that this part of life doesn’t last long,” he told me. He’s always been an advocate for grateful thinking and the power of a good attitude. He taught me to never forget how lucky I am and enjoy the opportunities I have. “One day you will look back and remember how great it really was. Don’t let yourself look back with any regret.”

Dad’s advice and expertise is helping me to make the most of my experience at Cornell as a track and field athlete. Track is hard. It challenges me, both physically and mentally, every day. However, Dad taught me (and continues to teach me every day) that with the right mindset, I can find satisfaction and pleasure in even the most difficult aspect of my sport.

The simple fact that my body can compete at the collegiate level, Dad says, is a blessing, and I think he’s absolutely right. He reminds me often how wonderful it is that I have the opportunity to compete in sports. I am surrounded by supportive teammates and coaches, and he pushes me to treat these incredible people well. He encourages me to work hard so I can be proud of myself and my Cornell uniform. Dad conveys the lessons he learned through sports at Cornell to me, and in doing this, he’s helping me to make the most of my athletics experience.

Cornell basketball helped Abe Tubbs to be a great athlete, an even better person, and the absolute best father. Dad’s Cornell athletics story shows that the effects college sports have on athletes last much longer than four years. Fortunately, Dad’s experience isn’t an outlier. As a current student-athlete at Cornell, I can say with certainty that the lessons my dad learned as a Cornell athlete are still extremely prominent in Cornell sports today. Athletes across campus are being instilled with positive values just like my dad was. Decades of Rams are leaving Cornell with valuable takeaways that they’ll use for the rest of their lives. This speaks volumes about Cornell athletics and its athletes. Cornell sports make a lasting impression on Rams, and this impression has helped to turn Abe Tubbs ’94 into a really, really great dad.