We are in the last week of March. Spring is just beginning, I think? However it is a wonderful time of the year, not only because winter is over and the newness of spring is upon us. We are also right in the thick of one of the greatest times of the year in regards to sports. I myself love sports. I love the competition, the exercise, and the feelings associated with being a part of a team. Growing up I would use sports as an outlet to escape the day to day stresses. I never once complained or didn’t feel like going to basketball practice. I was never forced to go outside and practice my jump-shot or ball handling. It was simple, I enjoyed the game and wanted to be good. I loved the process it took to become good at basketball. It’s amazing how as we age we realize the reason for many of the things we questioned when we were younger. For example I didn’t always enjoy form shooting but I listened to my coaches and took their advice to heart. I seriously credit the fundamentals and my commitment to practicing more than I played to be a huge factor in the success that I have had in the game of basketball.
Not only are we in the midst of the greatest show on earth known as the NCAA Tournament, we are also in the middle of the NBA hunt for the playoffs, baseball is starting, and the Masters is knocking on the door. It is a wonderful time to be a fan of sport. With this time of the year I myself have watched countless basketball games and other events. This has brought me to this article. My inspiration for this article happens to be Blake Griffin. I just saw one of his highlights of yet another ridiculous dunk. One that has lost some of its luster only due to the fact that he does it so frequently and effortlessly. Now I am not discounting any of Blake’s hard work and countless hours he has dedicated to basketball; however, when you look at him you just think to yourself that this kid is gifted. He has been given extrordinary talent to be 6’10 inches tall and have well over a 40 inch vert. Then you factor in the coordination and speed at which he performs, it is simply amazing. LeBron James is another athlete that I love to watch from the fact that he is just so gifted. Both LeBron and Blake were seemly put on this earth to play basketball.
Another one of my favorite athletes is Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. I am sure if many people saw Stephen on the street they would hardly doubt he is an NBA superstar. He is probably 185 pounds about 6’3 inches tall, and has a baby face. However he has an uncanny ability to shoot the basketball. He uses his threat to make a shot from anywhere on the court to his advantage. He is also extremely crafty when playing against bigger defenders. I love how he uses his creativity to make plays. He uses a variety of jumpers and floaters, off balance shots, reverse lay ups, and a quick release to be effective. What Stephen lacks in physical abilities he makes up for in other aspects like dedication to being the best shooter, and using his mind to make up the difference. Now I do not intend for anyone to knock LeBron and Blake because they have been given natural gifts of size and elite athleticism. The reason why they are perennial All Stars is because they have dedicated time and effort which accompanied with their gifts makes them extra special.
The main point I want to get across in this article is the fact that we have all been dealt certain cards in life. I myself am 5’10 which made it extremely difficult at times to compete in basketball; however, it just made me want to work harder. I had to use my creativity and other strengths such as quickness and shooting to offset my weakness of height. Also there wasn’t anything in the world I could do about being 5’10 inches. We all have certain limitation, but we can determine how we overcome these limitations. That is what I love about sports. There are countless examples and stories of teams and athletes who overcome the odds and become victorious. Think about the 1983 NC State Mens Basketball Team. They won a National Championship against all odds. They beat a Houston team that had two of the 50 greatest players to ever play on their team.
We are all different and unique. We are all gifted in our own way. I encourage everyone to look inside themselves and find what areas you are gifted in. I know that as we each bring our talents to the table, that we can accomplish much more as a group than we ever could alone. One of my favorite quotes states, ” It is amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.”
I challenge everyone to be happy for another persons success. Sometimes it can be extremely difficult but take it from my own experience its much better to take joy in someone else’s success than rain on their parade. As you start to recognize other peoples gifts you begin to lose sight of stereotypes and judgement. You see people as an individual and the fact that they are of worth. I honestly think that the world would be a much happier place if we could look for the good in others.
Nunc Coepi 