There is something magical about the beginning of a new season of Major League baseball. Stadiums are packed with enthusiastic fans; memories of days gone by are relived as former greats throw out the first pitch; and everyone puts aside the disappointments of the previous season and replaces them with the endless possibilities of what the new season will bring.
How many times have we heard a coach say, “Sports build character?” In his book, Inside/Out Coaching, Joe Ehrmann calls this one of the great myths in America. Most of us would probably agree that they can and should, but all too often the experience falls short of what it could be. Ehrmann goes on to say, “Sports don’t build character unless a coach possesses character and intentionally teaches it.”
Have you ever wondered what heaven is like? To a golfer, the closest thing to heaven must be the crown jewel of all golf courses—Augusta National. Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts created a golf environment like none other in the world. There is something about Augusta National that moves people in profound ways.
Kay Yow left a legacy! The legendary women’s basketball coach at North Carolina State won 737 games, coached North Carolina State to four Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championships, 20 appearances in the NCAA tournament and one Final Four in 1998…
John Wooden was one of the greatest coaches of all time. Nicknamed “The Wizard of Westwood”, his UCLA teams won ten national championships in a twelve year span, including seven in a row. Wooden was named National Coach of the Year six times. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, the first person to ever have this distinction.
Conference tournaments have concluded and the teams are set for this year’s NCAA Basketball Tournament. As March Madness begins, I’m reminded of how often games are decided by the ability to execute the fundamentals of the game. Making clutch free throws, getting the ball inbounds against a pressing defense and boxing out for a rebound can mean the difference in winning and losing.