The Coaches Corner: A Lesson Taught ~ A Lesson Learned

Written by Joe Meade

Post March Madness Reflection

Now that April has come and gone and the dust from March Madness has long since settled, it’s time for Spring cleaning. While going through some old hoops stuff that I had stored away, I found an article that I had written over ten years ago while coaching at Lehman College in the Bronx.  This year’s NCAA tournament really brought back some fond memories for me.  The Duke vs. Butler matchup was one of the best ever in the history of the tournament.  For the first time in a long time, I saw players actually helping their opponents up after they were knocked to the floor.  The competition was fierce, but the sportsmanship and respect they shared before, during and after the game was something that made me proud to be a basketball coach. When I read the piece I had written years ago, it reminded me of the timeless lessons learned on the hardwood.  I’m eager to share this reflection with my readers from kidHaven and hope that you will find it as enjoyable as I did.

A Lesson Taught – A Lesson Learned

written sometime back in the late 90′s ~ Just last week a good friend and colleague of mine, Jerry Power asked me to speak at his basketball camp.  Coach Power has been the boy’s basketball coach at Salesian High School in New Rochelle, New York for seven years.  His success at the small school included three city championships and a state championship in the CHSAA “C” division.  When I arrived, the campers were all seated in the bleachers and Coach Power was entertaining them with some magic tricks. There were about 50 kids ages 6-12, certainly nothing I hadn’t handled before, but I was feeling somewhat unprepared. My mind searched for some words of wisdom that would inspire these boys and girls to be the best they could be.  Reluctant to use some old or worse, borrowed material, I wanted something new…and thank goodness, it came to me.  All thoughts of dribbling and shooting exercises were wiped completely from my mind.  I had something better.  It was real, it was true and it flowed from me like water from a stream.  The thought energized me like the rush of adrenaline before the big game.  I realized that this wooden floor on which I stood had provided me with all the knowledge and training that I would need to know for the rest of my life. Basketball IS life.  I would teach them what basketball had taught me.

I realized that this wooden floor on which I stood had provided me with all the knowledge and training that I would need to know for the rest of my life. Basketball IS life.

So there I started. The lecture began with all the enthusiasm and animation of a Disney cartoon. My energy level was soaring and it didn’t take long for the audience to feel it as well. To get everyone involved, I did what I like to do when teaching a class, I asked a question. “Think of one good lesson you have learned from basketball that is important to you,” I asked, watching their eyes as they pondered the question.

“Ooh ooh, I know,” screamed a girl in the last row as she waved her hand back and forth. “Respect,” she shouted loud enough for all to hear.

“Excellent!” I shot back as I reminded them of the importance of respect for the people around them. “What else have you learned?”

More hands went up.  “Unselfishness,” a young boy cried out when chosen from the enthusiastic crowd.

“Terrific,” I responded and asked him to explain how that might apply on the basketball court. I think we were all impressed when he depicted a scenario of passing the ball to his teammate even though he could have made an easy layup himself. “That’s really unselfish,” I concurred as they all shook their heads in agreement. “Can anyone think of another?”  I had their full attention now.

A small hand went up and I peeked around a pole to see a devilish smile attached to an adorable face surrounded by freckles and short red hair.  ”Okay, okay, what did you learn that you would like to share,” I asked,  kind of expecting him to actually ask for permission to go to the bathroom.

Surprise us he did. “Teamwork,” he beamed proudly as if he had invented the concept.

“That’s a good one.”  I relented and nodded my head in approval. “Why is teamwork so important?” I inquired.

His wisdom betraying the youthful exuberance of a six year old, he proudly stated, “Because everyone on the team is important.”

Things were going better than expected and we were clicking on all cylinders.  But, I knew the synergy wouldn’t last too much longer. It was time for one last question and then the finale. “Anyone else want to add what they’ve learned?”

A shy-looking but brave girl right in front raised her hand to get my attention.  “Yes, young lady, tell us what you have learned.”

“What about sportsmanship?”  She spoke softly.

Yes, what about sportsmanship, I thought to myself?  Whatever happened to good ole sportsmanship?  The missing ingredient in today’s sporting events ever since big business stepped in and pushed it out the arena doors. “Ahh,  sportsmanship,” I sighed, almost giving away my own thoughts.

“Tell us about sportsmanship?”

“It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game,” she recited the cliché word for word.

I repeated the words and then asked everyone to say it out loud. They did so in unison.  I  couldn’t help but wonder if they really believed that old saying. “Try to remember that after your next tough loss,” I reminded them.

Time was running out and they were anxiously awaiting my big finish. It would be difficult to top what already had transpired, but I had to give it my best shot. My summation would be crucial to win this jury over.  It was crunch time and the clock was running down.  I looked around the gym for ideas.  And there it was, clear as day.

“Look how high that basket is.  Ten feet,” I pointed upward.

“If the guy who invented this game had made the basket only five feet high, then everybody would be able to make a shot without even trying hard.  But Dr. Naismith was pretty smart.  He put it way up there to challenge us to reach the goal. And that’s what basketball is really about.  You have to challenge yourself by setting goals that are difficult to achieve.  Let me give you an example.  Let’s set a goal. How many free throws should I make out of ten,” I asked.

“Eight?  Ten?”

“Ten? Ten it is,” I said confidently as the crowd pushed me to new heights.  “Everyone has to yell out the number when the ball goes in.”  They agreed.  I toed the line and took a few dribbles. One in, two three.  I was surprised by my own skill!  Seven, eight, nine.  I was in the zone.

The pressure was on now and I felt it. The last shot, if successful, would be the final piece that would seal the deal.  I lifted the ball and released.  It hung in the air and slipped neatly through the net.  Ten for ten!  The applause was worth its weight in gold. “Next time, I’m gonna try for twenty.”  Raising my hands in victory and allowing the roar of the crowd to alter my state of reality.

“Set goals, work hard to reach them…and then, set them even higher.”  The lesson was complete.

When order was restored, I thanked the group and Coach Power for being such a fantastic audience. They had really done a great job.  What started out as a half hour of instruction, turned out to be a lifelong lesson for me. The kids had taught me something that I won’t soon forget.  Respect, unselfishness, teamwork and sportsmanship are just a few of life’s lessons learned on the basketball court.

“Set goals, work hard to reach them…and then, set them even higher.”  The lesson was complete.

I left the gym humbled by my experience and ashamed of the times that I had forgotten what some 6-12 year olds had to remind me.  I went to our next practice with renewed excitement. That unrelenting demand for excellence was tapered with a childlike innocence.  I began to appreciate the players for the people they were, not the players I wanted them to be.  Practice was fun again and I was enjoying the experience as we prepared for the big game.  It wasn’t basketball anymore.  Nope.  It was something far more important than that. It was what the shy little girl in the front row told me, “It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.” I smile everytime.

Joe, a retired NYC Transit Police Officer, now co-owns Milford Pedicab.  In addition, he has spent the last 20 years coaching basketball at both the high school and college levels and is the founder of the Hoopskills Basketball Clinic  where he enjoys teaching young people about the values of sportsmanship, teamwork and the quality of effort.  Currently, Joe coaches the boy’s basketball team at Jonathan Law High School in Milford.  He is married to his beautiful wife Soledad and has 3 children, Isabela, Soledad and Joey III.