©2026 This excerpt taken from the article of the same name which appeared in ASHRAE Journal, vol. 68, No. 8, August 2026.
Changing the Game: Retrofitting for Resilience
By Sarah E. Maston
Sports. Games. Teams. How many of us grew up playing sports—for fun, for competition?
Some of my favorite memories growing up are from the summers when my family lived in Wisconsin. The kids in my neighborhood loved playing basketball in the driveway, baseball in the street and soccer in the backyard. I was a competitive kid and sports were a great outlet for my energy. I loved most sports, but soccer quickly became my favorite. I started playing in a local league when I was five years old, and over the years I grew to love the challenge of the competition.
By the time I was 10 years old, I played for the “Warriors,” a team coached by my dad’s work colleague. My dad would often come and watch the end of practice and talk with the coach. Every practice ended the same way—with a “hill charge.” We’d sprint up the big hill at the park where we practiced, as fast as we could. The coach would give us a head start and then chase us, trying to pass us before we reached the top.
Well, one day my dad showed up and the two started talking. Coach called us over to do our hill charge, and we took off!
I don’t know if their conversation went long, or if we were extra motivated, but as we neared the top, my teammates and I realized Coach hadn’t passed us yet. I glanced back and he was coming up hard, but I thought I could beat him. I dug deep and pushed hard, and that day I beat him! Victory after so many tries!
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