The way things are supposed to work in life is that the older folk pass along some wisdom and examples of how to do things properly. In the last couple of weeks, we got a reverse lesson, one from which adults, no matter how old, should be able to take som
The female and male members of John Marshall Metropolitan’s basketball teams taught us that commitment is a means to persevering. Both teams captured their respective state championshipsûa fete never achieved by a Chicago Public Schools school. Girls’ basketball in this part of the state is still something of an anomaly.
So the girls’ ride to the top was met with what amounted to polite applause. Admittedly the girls’ season didn’t even have close to a modicum of the drama played out during the boys’ season. Early in the season the young men from Marshall lost a favorite basketball coach due to some transgression that was never fully disclosed.
As tempestuous as adolescent boys can be, some initially refused to practice and many threatened to quit the team. Even naming a replacement coach the players were familiar with didn’t dissipate the players’ frustrations. But somehow they’re angst and anger subsided and they went about the business of winning basketball gamesûnew coach and all.
When they beat Simeonûthe old Los Angeles Lakers of high school basketball, it was a Cinderella story of sorts. But it wasn’t the box scores that reflected the most poignant Marshall basketball. It was the fact that Marshall is on the West Side in an area where chances for success are slim. People in the neighborhood are written off long before anyone thinks to encourage them.
And Marshall is not one of those select CPS schools that attracts college counselors, unless they’re doubling as a sports recruiter. This image and reputation of the school is not new. So from day one of freshman year, the ball players knew there would be no luxuries or an easy path to and from school everyday. But they showed up.
Surely, like any great team, fought among themselves occasionally, but not for the public to see. Nor did they lose focus of their goalûwinning it all. So now these youngsters are teaching the rest of us that overcoming obstacles is part of the game of life and the critical element is to define yourself and don’t let others do that for you. Go Commandos!
______ Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
About Post Author
