Out of struggle, often strength is born. From the crucible, many great leaders and players emerge. The crucible can appear as poverty, illness, death, divorce, prejudice, and more.
In “Leadership in Turbulent Times,” Doris Kearns Goodwin shares the struggles and triumphs of Lincoln, the Roosevelts, and Lyndon Johnson. Lincoln suffered family deaths and a lifetime of melancholy. Teddy Roosevelt’s wife and mother died almost simultaneously. FDR was paralyzed by polio or a polio-like illness. Johnson’s greatest legislative triumphs followed a massive heart attack.
Nelson Mandela overcame decades of South African imprisonment to lead his nation. Oprah Winfrey experienced childhood poverty and molestation and built a media empire from which she funded tens of millions of dollars of women’s empowerment.
The crucible emerges anywhere. UNC Women’s Soccer coach Anson Dorrance preaches the competitive cauldron in practice as the title-forming crucible.
The Bird-Thomas feud grew not from racism but a lack of appreciation that both overcame difficult circumstances and triumphed through hard work and perseverance. Hardscrabble upbringings are the backstory of many NBA stars.
In Netflix’s “The Playbook” Doc Rivers shared that going through the Donald Sterling debacle, he remembered his parents’ teaching, “Never allow yourself to be a victim.”
We may not get the support, resources, and position that we want. But we choose how to use what we have. Stacked newspapers with duct tape are makeshift jump boxes. Empty plastic milk containers filled with water substitute for cones. Body weight exercises replace exercise equipment.
Drills. Curry Dribbling Workout from Coach Castellaw…generally, I think many players dribble too much. Attack the basket, improve passing angles, get out of trouble, advance the ball, but don’t dribble the air out of the ball.
Set Play. From Chris Oliver… I call this ORBIT with curl action out of the Box set.
Lagniappe.
“Don’t whine. Don’t complain. Don’t make excuses.” - John Wooden
He added that things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out. Focus, energy, mental and physical preparation don’t guarantee success. But they free us from regret.