For many college athletes, stepping away from competitive play can feel like hitting pause on everything they have worked for.
For BYU basketball player Trey Stewart, leaving for a mission meant embracing that pause while still preparing for what would come next.
Before departing, Stewart was intentional about preparation. His mindset was clear. If he wanted to return ready to compete, the work had to start early.
“I worked really hard up until the day I left,” Stewart said. “Obviously you’re going to lose stuff, but the goal was to stay in shape rather than fall behind.”
That preparation carried into mission life, where structure looked very different from college athletics. Stewart typically woke up around 6:30 a.m. and worked out as soon as he could. BYU’s strength coach sent him weekly workout programs, giving him consistency even without access to team facilities.
“That was really helpful,” Stewart said. “Having something to log into and follow kept me accountable.”
Still, the mission environment came with limitations. Companions varied in their interest in physical activity, and opportunities to train were not always guaranteed. Stewart adjusted when he could, finding creative ways to stay active.
“I had a couple great companions,” he said. “We’d go play basketball at the church or do other workouts together.”
Despite his efforts, Stewart is candid about the reality of returning to college basketball shape.
“You can’t keep your body game ready no matter what anyone says,” he said. “There’s nothing that simulates the intensity of college basketball.”
The transition back was physically demanding. Soreness, discomfort, and the speed of the college game all hit at once.
“You don’t feel like yourself,” Stewart said. “Your body just isn’t working the way it needs to.”
While the physical gap was unavoidable, Stewart believes the mental growth from serving a mission provided a different kind of advantage.
“Mentally, yes,” he said. “You learn discipline, perspective, and how to work through hard things.”
That discipline extended beyond workouts. Stewart learned to be intentional with his time, often pushing past the suggested workout window and sacrificing comfort elsewhere in his schedule.
More than anything, Stewart emphasizes presence. Balancing personal goals with full commitment to a mission required being fully where he was, whether training, studying scriptures, or teaching.
“Presence is the goal,” he said. “When you’re doing one thing, give it everything.”
Looking back, Stewart has no regrets. His advice to athletes worried about stepping away is grounded in perspective.
“Basketball is short,” he said. “The foundation you build by focusing on God and personal growth lasts.”
For Stewart, the discomfort was worth it.
“I’d trade that discomfort for the person I am today every time,” he said.
In the long run, the sacrifice was not a setback but a defining chapter in his journey.