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"What BBall Means"

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"What Basketball Means to Me"
Cheryl Yarbrough

While I was in graduate school my friend, Mara Cunningham, asked me to take 5-10 minutes to write down what “basketball means to me.” This task was easier said than done! Twenty plus years of competition gave me a big picture perspective that many of my younger players lacked. The following summary was from a letter that became the basis for my book, The Heart of a Player: Lessons Learned Through the Eyes of a Player, Coach, and Basketball Mentor.
 

The short answer is that basketball is the best metaphor that I can think of for the game of life. Michael Jordan says that when he was young and he needed to figure things out, he would go and play. “ The basketball court is still my refuge … it’s the place that I can go to find answers.” Almost all of the things I learned about myself can be traced to basketball.

When I set out to play, I just wanted to make the JV team. I didn’t know the rules of the game or how to play a team sport. But, I made the team and I was happy for a while. As time went on, my goal was to start. Then, starting wasn’t enough. I wanted to compete well, master my fundamentals, and prove to my opponent that I was superior. Then, winning wasn’t enough. I wasn’t satisfied unless I played well, my team played well, and we won. Finally, I learned that basketball is about more than winning. It is about all the things life teaches you. How to get along with people; how to give total effort; how to set goals and work towards those goals; how to fail, pick yourself up, and persevere; how to react under pressure; how to concentrate; how to be disciplined with your time; how to get along with diverse teammates; how to play to strengths and hide weaknesses; how to expand your limits; how to develop your critical thinking abilities; and most importantly, how to believe!

One of the things I cherish most about my sport is the people I’ve met through my involvement. Where else can you meet such quality people? People who share your love and PASSION for the game! Life is all about being passionate and having enthusiasm for the moment. I learned that what is most important to me is to put forth my best effort in everything I do. I’m human and I come up short. In those instances, I know how to pick myself back up look within, and try another path to reach my destination. Many times I feel like quitting but I learned long ago that I don’t like myself when I give up. It’s hard to live with yourself when you don’t give your best effort. So you fail. Then you become more determined. Then you try another way to get over, around, or through the obstacle.

Basketball taught me to constantly stretch my boundaries and test my limits. It gave me an avenue to express my creativity and developed my sense of imagination. One of the things that I love best about the game is the ever changing sense of motion. Basketball, like life, is not static. It taught me how to adapt, stay positive, and take the best out of every situation. On several occasions, I was able to dig deep and come up with more when I didn’t think there was anything left. Often, I was pleasantly surprised!

The game showed me how to be calm under pressure. Deadlines don’t phase me anymore. I am confident in my abilities and I know I can do it. The idea of failure doesn’t enter my mind. If I really decide that I want something, you can’t convince me that I can’t do it. It’s a gift I wish for everyone. I’ve learned that determination is more important than ability. Give me the kid who cares and has a big heart every time.

I’m not unrealistic. I know what I can do and I play to my strengths. Basketball taught me to analyze a situation, judge the critical success factors, and formulate a strategy. The game is a series of snap decisions. I can do that. Right or wrong, I pull the trigger. When I make the wrong decision, I don’t panic. I adapt, I compensate, and I get myself back on track.

I believe. I can’t tell you the exact moment I realized that I believed in myself. I think it was a culmination of a million small steps and a thousand little victories. When you believe in your abilities the possibilities are endless. Have you ever played in a game where you had complete and total focus? It’s like you step between the lines and you can’t hear the crowd. You are perfectly aware of everything that’s happening on the court and you feel as if the game is being played in slow motion. You aren’t physically tired and everything seems effortless. All of your senses are alive. You have complete control of your body. It’s hard to describe but if you’ve been to that magical place you know what I’m talking about.

That’s the way I want to live my life. I want to find that magical place each and every day. I want to be able to extend this vision outside of the lines. I want my senses to be alive. I want to see things in slow motion so I can appreciate the moment and take it all in. Basketball taught me how to step beyond the lines. What I didn’t learn as a player, I came to know as a coach. It’s been a lifelong process. Everyday I grow and my development is ongoing. Basketball taught me that if you put forth your best effort, you can always deal with the consequences. This is what basketball means to me. This has been a process of evolution as I make that transition to the next level.

Cheryl Yarbrough
March 1, 1996