A New Year’s Resolution for the New England Basketball Community
As the New Year arrives everyone in the New England basketball community surely has high hopes for 2016 and often times that comes with goals or “resolutions” for the coming year.
For all of the young players in the region, our hope is that you work hard on your game – not just by playing games and trying to score points but by getting into the gym to advance your skills, taking the time to study and learn about the way the game is played at the next level, and by recognizing that the greatest achievements in this game aren't individual ones, they're collective. Most of all though, understand that no matter how talented you might be on the basketball court it won’t matter unless you’re making good decisions off it and striving for similar success in the classroom.
For the adults, let’s all remember that it is us that sets the example for these kids and if they aren’t your top priority then you shouldn’t be doing this.
It’s only natural for coaches to want to try to promote or advocate for their players and program, but let’s also remember that there’s a fine line between building up a player’s confidence and creating unrealistic expectations.
When we start exaggerating a player’s height and/or position, calling youngsters who have yet to hear from any college coach “high-major,” creating mythical rankings or posing as media outlets in hopes of promoting our own agenda, that only comes at the detriment of the kids.
People and programs love to celebrate their success stories, and rightfully so, but those success stories aren’t based on hyperbole and spin, they are based on long hours in the gym, hard-work and dedication. The list of kids who didn’t make it, who were once built up by false promises and unrealistic expectations, is just as long, but no one goes on social media to talk about them.
There isn’t one party that is completely culpable, nor any who are completely without blame, but collectively all of the adults can do a better job of setting the example for the kids.
And kids, if you listen to one piece of advice in the coming year, let it be this…
“Listen to the people who are telling you what you don’t want to hear, because they’re the ones who are actually trying to help you.”