The Men’s Draft

from http://globalgrind.com/

This post is dedicated to some people in my life that have been really inspirational and who follow their hearts, despite what the world around them says. They help me listen to my own heart. Thanks Mari, Cari A., and SallyCat.

The NBA draft is serious business. I watched a small behind-the-scenes feature that revealed all that goes on during this dynamic event to find the next great stars of the NBA. Most of the guys are between the ages of 18 – 21 and started playing basketball at a young age in order to be the best at a high level. Something that caught my attention was that within the drafting process, apart from looking for all the physical stats (agility, quickness, strength, power) they pay close attention to the mental characteristics of the player as well. One of the head coaches who was interviewed, mentioned that mental sharpness, competitiveness, and emotional stability must go alongside the physical.

John Wall was drafted by the Washington Wizards and he briefly spoke about how anger got him kicked off a team when he was younger. He decided that if he wanted to continue playing basketball, he had to change his attitude and that is what he did (with the help of his mom).

Next month I will be starting my own drafting process and part of me is nervous. The fact that I started playing basketball at an older age really discourages me from playing with younger women. The good news, I suppose, is that I will be going around trying different clubs and if everything goes well, I will find a place that accepts me and that I chose. However, I know I will have to work hard in order to play at the level of women my age.

We all have moments in our life where we are tested in order to reach a new level. These moments can be daunting, especially when the pressure is on and all eyes are turned to you. I will have to really believe in myself and focus my strengths, rather than worry about all I’m lacking, which seems to be my trend from the past. I think all good players have the ability to focus when it comes to these testing moments and I have to learn to do this as well.

Side note: it became very apparent to me while watching scenes from the NBA draft that it was an all men’s event, excluding a couple of women photographers. Now, this makes some sense since the whole NBA is made up of men and they know what is best for their league. I guess I’m left wondering if in the future women will coach men and vice versa because in other lower leagues we see a mix in genders for coaching.

All broadening transitions take time.

Huggg!

John Wall and David Stern (commissioner of NBA)

Gordon Hayward for Utah Jazz - last three images from http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Winning and Addictions

A couple weeks ago, I had dinner at a pizza place in Las Cañitas with some close friends, one of the being an ex-professional basketball player from Pilar. Of course, we ended up talking about ball and his history. He told me he had played at a fairly high level several years ago and described his experience with basketball:

“I trained hard and was really pushed by my trainers. I grew to be so competitive that it began to take over my life. At one point, I stopped playing but now it is very difficult for me to play at a recreational level, just for fun. I have to win.”

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of this kind of intense competitiveness for the win. On my women’s team, I’ve seen feet stomping, faces turning red, and foul words, all after loses. I remember during one of our early season practises, Cate looked at me while thumbing at Roxana: “Watch out…she HATES losing.”

On the outdoor courts with men, I’ve seen players lose run after run, but who continue to play just because they are thirsty for the win. Some don’t even care how, or with who, they just want to win.

And this ‘addiction’ can easily go from a positive motivation to a negative one. My ex-basketball player friend is the perfect example: the way he described how he became so obsessed with winning, I believe it ruined his ability to feel creative and light on the court. I also noticed a sadness in his face when he talked about his relationship with basketball…as if his drilled competitiveness had ruined the pleasure he felt while playing.

Be it good or bad, winning isn’t always the focal point for me in the game. I appreciate and focus more on team work, assists, and spontaneously inspired runs. If my team wins, of course it is a good sign, but if we lose, it doesn’t necessarily mean we failed. There have been many lost games I’ve played where a lot was learned and achieved. I am aware that my point of view might be a bit idealistic for some people, but I genuinely believe that if you pay attention, you probably learn more from lost games than from the wins.

On the other hand, being competitive is important for success. This is something I’m learning to bring out on the court by maintaining my focus on only one objective: win. This energy should not be confused with that of obsession. They are two very different things. The first is an absolute concentration, a complete absorption into the moment of the game. Some called it being ‘in the zone’ and I kind of see it as a form of intense meditation.

Listen to how these pro-ball players talk about how they feel while on the court:

“Being in the zone is an out of body experience. It supersedes the physical because the world kind of goes away. You can’t hear anything out there on the floor. You can’t hear the crowd. You don’t see a hand in your face. It kind of feels surreal.”

Laker Girls

The Laker Girls.

On Thursday night I stayed up to watch Game 7 of the NBA Finals: the L.A. Lakers vs. the Boston Celtics. My basketball knowledge concerning the NBA has never been strong, but I enjoy watching certain players like Kobe Bryant since what they bring onto the court can be so inspirational; they really plaster their hearts onto the paint when playing.

Both teams were playing fiercely and in the final minutes the point difference was still small. Each coach was using their time-outs wisely to organize plays and pep-talk their team. I noticed that the channel didn’t cut to commercials because the time-out minutes were too short. So instead, they put on prolonged shots of the Laker Girls, bouncing, dancing and waving around yellow banners. I decided to do a little research…