“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there is no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” Derek Jeter is one of the most respected baseball players of all time, and his words ring true for whatever sports you may play.

Sports consume hours of a player’s life with practices, games and meets. Dedication is key to success in any sport, no matter how good you are. If you aren’t dedicated, then you can’t be the best of the best. More than ever in this competitive world, the ultimate question is being asked, is ball truly life?

On Twitter, a trend began when people started referring to their dedication to their sport as “Ball is life.” The phrase started with basketball, but has been applied to other sports as well. A Twitter account called “@BALLISLIFEVINES” has reached 28,000 followers.

The use of this phrase is widely popular and sometimes even used sarcastically. However the meaning of it raises questions about the value of a sport to an athlete, specifically a student athlete, based on the dedication to said sport.

Famous athletes don’t just get to the big leagues by magic or pure luck. They use hard work and dedication, drive and determination. If you dare speak the words “Ball is Life” you need to back it up with some time put in 24/7, and show some extreme dedication to your sport.

Dedication does not have to mean eating soccer balls for dinner or sleeping with a mouth guard in. It doesn’t have to mean carrying a hockey stick everywhere. That could be considered a bit far; dedication can mean the little things you do every day.

Whether it is keeping in shape by watching what you eat during the off-season, finding weaknesses and improving for next year, or even scheduling small sessions with a trainer to help you on the weekends, the little things count when it comes to perfecting what you consider your passion. That goes for anything, even non-athletics.

Part of succeeding in sports is putting in time every day. You can’t improve with practicing for just an hour each day or doing nothing. In order to make your sport your number one priority in life, you can not go home from practice and eat a snickers bar while watching reruns of “The Simpsons” in your footie pajamas. There are no breaks. You either go hard or go home.