I want to share a story that is very personal for me. This is a story of hard work, dedication, and persistence. At the same time, it is a story of regret. This is the story of my basketball career.
As a junior in high school I made the varsity basketball team at Middleton High School. As the season began the only action I saw was at the end of games that were not very close. I was extremely disappointed with this and it showed in my body language on the bench. After one of our first games my dad straight up called me out, basically telling me that my behavior was unacceptable. The conversation that followed went something like this:
Me: I’m better than those guys, I should be playing.
Dad: What are you going to do about it? Quit?
Me: No! (Please know that I am a very competitive person and quitting was never an option.)
Dad: Well I don’t see you going to the park getting extra shots up. You aren’t going to the gym at every chance like you normally do. What are you going to do about it?
This conversation lit a fire inside of me. I worked as hard as I could. I got extra shots up, I went to all optional open gyms and I worked my hardest to get better and help our team in practice. In doing so, I made my way into the regular rotation and by the end of the year I was the first player off the bench, receiving as much if not more playing time than the starters.
The following summer I was in the gym four times a week from 5:30-7:00am working on my game. From 7:00-9:30am I lifted and did conditioning. My senior year I earned a starting spot and was named team captain and all-conference as a player. I continued this hard work and dedication as I moved from high school to college. I tried out for the UW-Eau Claire basketball team and made it as a walk-on. I was the first walk on to make the team in nearly 10 years.
As I began my college career I redshirted as a freshman, only practicing with the team, never dressing for games or traveling. The next year I was one of the last players off the bench, but I continued to work my hardest and get better. By my redshirt sophomore year, I had worked my way into the rotation. I earned every second of time I saw on the floor. At the end of the year I was awarded the fireman award, given to the biggest spark off the bench. I led the team in FG, 3 point FG, and free throw percentage. The next year I saw more time and again I received the fireman award and led the team in free throw and 3 point FG percentage.
As the summer before my final season got underway, I was extremely excited about the opportunities ahead and I continued to work on my game with maximum effort and dedication. About a month into the summer I broke my wrist playing in a summer league game and two weeks later I was on the operating table having a screw put into my wrist. I had never had a serious injury and it really affected me. I felt sorry for myself and literally did nothing to get better over the summer. Even though I couldn’t do anything with my left hand, I could have been working on my conditioning and shooting with the cast on, but I didn’t. I got my cast off right before I left for school and even then I used the injury as an excuse. I was way behind where I needed to be and failed to put the necessary time and effort to earn time on the floor.
When the season began I was back where I was as a freshman, on the bench. Throughout the year I received little to no playing time. It was extremely difficult for me to deal with, but deep down I knew it was nobody’s fault but my own. I hadn’t prepared and when my opportunity came, it was too late to prepare. I understood the role of each player on the team and tried to be a leader for the younger guys. I worked as hard as I could in practice and supported my team from the bench with enthusiasm and energy each game. Since the time I was 10 I knew I wanted to be a basketball coach, so when times got tough I told myself, “If I can’t do this, how could I ever expect one of my players to do it.” Needless to say, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life.
During my playing career I was successful because I was dedicated, I worked harder than anyone else, and I was persistent. That is, until that final summer. Although I have many great memories, the regret that I didn’t do everything I could to prepare for my final season eats at me every single day. I know I cannot change the past, but that doesn’t heal the pain of regret. To this day that feeling drives me to work as hard as I can in anything I do because I know what it feels like when you don’t work hard and fail. If you work as hard as you can, you may not achieve your goals; there are no promises in life. Even if you don’t achieve your goal, you will still be a success because in your heart, you will know you did everything in your power to achieve it. If you don’t work hard you have ZERO chance of being successful and the pain of regret will stick with you forever.