“Jordan get dressed, turn in your jersey, and dismiss yourself from this locker room! You are no longer a player on this team, and you can turn in your practice gear and bag on Monday�
When my ears heard these words from my basketball coach, I think I woke up to REALITY. I had been playing the game of basketball with my eyes on myself. (I wasn’t even that impressive, but since my eyes were focused on myself for so long my head began to swell and make myself out to be bigger than I was). We lost a game right before I was chewed out in front of my teammates (to this day the harshest my coach has talked to a player she says.) During that game, what was on the INSIDE of me really spilled out onto my coach and teammates.
If you were to ask me to tell you about a turning point in my life, this would make the list. How I reacted to my coach’s decision has set me up for success in so many aspects in life. About ten minutes later I went to my coach’s office and told her that I am so sorry, and that how I acted is not who I truly am or who I want to be. I told her that I would do anything to get back on the team.
The “ANYTHING” is what shaped my character. I was stripped of my captain status, and I could not suit up for our next two games (they were home games). After those two games it was still a couple more games before I could start again, I believe. I could have just taken the easy road and left basketball in my past, but I chose to become humbled, AND humbled I became. It was really difficult for me to just sit there on the bench and when asked, “Why?â€� to blame myself.
After that week or so, something changed in me. My reaction to those consequences switched something inside of me. I earned my captain spot back, eventually, and became a true leader. This affected my entire team as well, because they had the choice to be upset with me or forgive me and move on. We finished our season a completely different team. We had different attitudes, we were playing a whole lot better, we were winning games, and most importantly we were being shaped for life beyond basketball!
I thank God so much for my coach, Elizabeth Clower, who cared more about me than the game of basketball. Because of her I learned humility, which is one of the character traits I hold closest to my heart. I learned value—the value of those around me, my own value, and what is truly important. I learned sacrifice and the fact that the road I know I need to do may not always be the easiest. I also learned leadership—not something I could see until my coach pointed it out.
Last week I had the opportunity to speak at my high school to my Coach’s team. She is dealing with two girls who are going through the same thing I did. It was really humbling and redeeming to hear my coach talk about me, and give me the opportunity to speak into the lives’ of some girls who can relate with my attitude.
God is so awesome! I happened to be home for my brother’s wedding, a week earlier than planned, the same week a basketball team, 5 years after mine, needed to hear how God used basketball to affect my life beyond high school.
