the greatest lessons
Wow!?
Virginia Commonwealth University’s men’s basketball team has reached the Final Four.
What a tremendous accomplishment!
If you’ve followed the news over the past three weeks, you’re well aware that the Rams finished fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association, then lost to Old Dominion in the championship game of the league tournament.
You know that they gained a spot in the “Big Dance” only because the field was expanded from 65 to 68 teams this year.
You know that several so-called experts from major media outlets railed against their inclusion, yet the guys in black and gold dispatched five supposedly superior teams, each from a different high-profile conference, to reach college basketball’s greatest stage.
There’s much that makes the Rams’ full-throttle sprint into the national spotlight so compelling.
There’s the unexpected rise from obscurity, of course.
There’re those against-all-odds victories, all of which were well documented and analyzed by the press.
There’s the charisma of Coach Shaka Smart, who at 33 and in only his second year as a head coach has instilled in his team a joie de vivre and a belief that it can accomplish the impossible.
However these next three days play out, the Rams have forged enduring memories for themselves, the VCU community, a rapidly burgeoning fan base, and, indeed, all of us who have a soft spot in our hearts for the underdog.
I can’t help but think, though, that there’re great lessons to be learned from this singular, feel-good moment.
Here are a few of them, each of which translates easily into real life.
Respect the opinions of the naysayers. Then, using their criticism as fuel, prove them wrong.
It’s all about team, not individual accolades.
Trust your teammates and coaches. Mutual trust, loyalty, and respect form the basis for sound friendships, sound marriages, and sound working relationships.Understand your role. Some folks run the point. Some shoot from beyond the arc. Some bang heads in the paint. Some dish out assists. Some provide the spark off the bench.
That’s basketball.
That’s life as well.
Strive for excellence and understand that wishing, hoping, and dreaming alone won't get you to the summit.
Don’t rely on luck. You make your own luck with sweat and dedication.
Develop a well-conceived plan, practice the plan, have confidence that the plan will work, don’t be afraid to make adjustments when the situation warrants, and compete with fire and verve straight through to the very end.
Keep your composure, especially when faced with adversity. In life, you’ll confront bad calls, raw deals, and forces that conspire to short-circuit your goals. Don’t waste energy bemoaning them. Figure a way to compensate, and keep your eye on the prize.
Play with fearlessness and abandon, albeit controlled abandon.
Respect your opponents, but never allow them to intimidate you. They might seem daunting, but embrace the challenges that they present. Competing with anything less than your most courageous effort is to concede defeat.
Use mistakes as opportunities for self-improvement. In life, you’ll throw up air balls, dribble off your foot, make bad passes, commit dumb fouls.
Learn from those mistakes, do your best not to repeat them, and appreciate the intrinsic value of the tough times you experience.
When you achieve success, conduct yourself as if you’ve been successful before.
The Rams are truly in uncharted waters, yet in all that they’ve said and done, they communicate pride and confidence yet not a hint of arrogance or braggadocio.
Finally, be humble. Always be humble.
So there they are, a few thoughts, which when combined convey the essence of athletic competition and life.
Once the arena is quiet and the uniforms packed away, they remain, truly, the greatest lessons.
