Underdog

Like all sports, we have the naturally gifted and then we also have players that have to work that much harder to get to the top. Personally, I have felt this on my journey and would like to share an interesting story with you about why it's important to never quit and stay true to who you are. There's always a reason for everything that happens.

It was my final year of undergrad. Towards the middle of my basketball season, there was some free time to go home and see family. One of my favorite coaches reached out to me and asked if I wanted to come to see a church league game. It was the playoffs. She coaches a youth boys team. It was a home game and scheduled after dinner time, so I figured why not. I took the car and drove over. The parking lot was packed.

I walked inside and saw old photos of when I used to play growing up. The doors were open and you could hear the cheers and chants echoing in the gym. I stepped in and saw some old friends I used to play with. Out of the corner of my eye, surprisingly sitting there was my first basketball coach. He looked over and gave me a grin, like remembering a good memory. We began to talk and eventually, watched the game. The hustle and heart displayed made me hopeful for what's to come. It was hard to determine who was the better team. They were evenly matched. After the game, I went to see the coach who invited me and talked to her about how everything was going. She was glad to see me. I didn't realize the girls were playing next so, decided to stay to watch that too.

I sat back down with my other coach so I'd have somewhere to sit. The next thing I know, here comes another coach through the doors. My travel team coach arrived. I began to think this was crazy, as I am now in the same room with three different coaches. All of them coached me at different ages and levels of my basketball career, which makes it quite interesting. So, I then find out my first coach and travel team coach known each other for years in the basketball community and are friends with one another. I sat there, like a deer in headlights. So confused and surprised at the same time.

It was then my travel team coach brought up an interesting conversation about me. My first coach joined in. Basically, they both remember watching me the first time I started to really grasp and understand basketball. It was actually my playoff game. They both made a bet that day. I was probably 13-14 years old when they did this. Never told anyone until now. Their bet was if I would go to play at the collegiate level or not. My first coach said no and my travel team coach said yes. Once they saw I got offered to go play at the collegiate level, They laughed. They both admitted deep down, they knew it was going to happen. They had a feeling that something was going to happen for me because I had the drive and spark.

After my graduation, I announced I was going abroad for my masters and to play basketball. I got an offer. Eventually, crossed paths with the two again and they just sat there and shook their head.

What I learned from this is that people talk and watch. As a player, you have to know your character WILL DEFINE your athletic journey. How you act, play, or talk. On and off the court. Someone is watching and people know each other that you least suspect that they do. 

To this day, I look at this as motivation for myself and I hope it can enhance your personal mission as well.