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Thanks for the Inspiration!
One
of my favorite lines of a movie comes from Tom Cruise’s character in
Jerry Maguire when he says; in discussing why he is a sports agent,
“I care about the job, of course. But mostly, I just want to be
inspired.” While, on the surface, it may seem a bit self-centered, I
believe that wanting to be inspired is the exact opposite of that because
of all the things becoming inspired requires us to do. And, I believe,
quite honestly, it is something that all of us need in our lives.
Inspiration is an external influence, a motivation, a little “push”
from somebody or something we’ve experienced that says, “You can, too.”
It might be something we’ve read about, watched on TV, or were witness
to. It can be a person, an act, or simply a quote. While I’ve been
inspired by all of those, I refer to inspiration as a gift. A gift that
challenges us to follow someone else’s blueprint, to dig beyond the
headlines and examine the details, and, most importantly, to stop and
listen . . . listen to how someone other than you overcame adversity, set
goals, worked hard, beat seemingly insurmountable odds, or challenged the
status quo. It motivates us to break free of “doing things my way” in
exchange for somebody else’s.
I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by inspiring events and people all of
my life. And, I am very thankful to each and every one of them. My
parents have inspired me to lead by example by always rising to the
forefront when needed, less by rhetoric and more by action. My sister, in
her short lifetime, continues to inspire me to never give up. My Legion
coach inspired me to use baseball as a platform for creating a lifetime of
memories. My college coach inspired me to use the game to teach life’s
lessons. And, my wife continues to inspire me by making sacrifices and by
being flexible enough to allow me to be away from home long enough to
raise a baseball program, while raising a family. There are many more
folks to thank for their inspiration; however, there is not enough room or
time right now to give them their due.
The group I do want to want to reserve a space for in this column is for
my players; both past and present. Our recent championship season has
conjured up a number of comparisons to former teams, most notably the 2003
squad, and has allowed me to reflect on how privileged I’ve been to work
with so many fine young men. The 2003 League Championship team will
always hold a special place in my heart because they inspired an entire
future generation of Mounts players to dream big. Until that season,
Ephrata baseball was best summed up by the miraculous run made in the
summer of 1990 by the Legion team, a cameo appearance in the L-L League's
upper echelon soon after, and a smattering of successful seasons
that could literally be counted on one hand over the course of a 50-year
chasm. However, that ’03 squad bucked tradition and, in doing so,
pioneered what would become a new one. They did so with veteran
leadership, skillful play, and hard work. Many of those players went on
to play at the next level, have gone on to be husbands, fathers, and one,
has gone on to play professional baseball. They touched the vision that
was crafted, and laid the foundation for years to come. The teams that
followed them chose to copy their blueprint, often times with lesser
talent, and, without coincidence, achieved similar results. The ’04 team
won the section title and advanced to the District semifinals. The ’05
squad reached the league playoffs. The ’06 team had a crack at another
league title after winning the section title before being defeated by the
eventual state runners-up. The ’08 team again advanced to the league
semifinals, along with the 2009 team, who also won a section title. And,
the 2010 squad, well . . . they matched the bar raised by their predecessors of
seven years prior.
This group, however, did not do it with the same level of skill. They did
not do it with the same level of veteran leadership. They did it with a
unified presence uncharacteristic of the “Look at me!” society we live
in. And, they achieved it before they collected a single piece of
championship hardware.
The game of baseball is a teacher. It gives you a problem and requires
you to seek out a solution. Often, the lesson is buried within the
context of an inning, a game, or a season. And, it is relentless in its
quest to humble you. Adversity waits with each pitch thrown, providing
you with opportunity to execute, or be executed. And so, with four games
remaining, and the 2010 Mounts nursing a two-game lead, the wheels were
set in motion for the team to capture its fifth section title in eight
seasons. However, the game was not going to surrender before it had
its
chance to offer up its final lesson; a lesson in the value of TEAM.
Following their third dramatic one-run loss in their final four regular
season games, the team was forced into a one-game playoff to earn that
coveted section championship. But before the game was played, during what
would become one of their final team practices, the team took part in an
exercise of honest reflection and self-analysis. Each member of the team,
including each coach, was asked to detail why they were proud of each
other and what it meant to be part of the essence of team. There was no
discussion by any individual about playing time, statistics, or assigning
blame for their recent shortcomings. Each player openly and genuinely
spoke about what made this team special. It was at that point, above all
other, that I was inspired to be their head coach. It was that
pivotal moment
that made me proud to be a part of their team. And, it was at that
time that I knew they were CHAMPIONS. Over the course of the next four
games, baseball would ceremoniously crown them as section champs, and then
league champs. They had learned the lesson of “TEAM”, and the reward
was obvious. I have the utmost confidence that whatever these young men
choose to do, they will be able to call upon this special moment in their
lives, and will continue to go on and inspire others. Their
blueprint will be copied, followed, and will prove successful for future
teams, while continuing to make a community, school district, and coaching
staff proud. For it is this lesson learned that is truly
inspirational in today's climate; they built success through togetherness;
free of selfishness, individuality, and ego.
All of these people have shaped who I am, and have allowed me to take on
leadership positions in the classroom, on the baseball field, and in the
home. Without these inspirations, I am certain my life would have taken
some alternate path. However, I made the choice to be inspired. I’m not
at all afraid or embarrassed to admit that I chose to follow the lead of
others. When I recognize a good thing, I’ve tried to copy it by paying
close attention to every single detail. And, what I’ve learned to date is
that the more you allow yourself to be inspired, the more you are rewarded
with good ideas that you
can collect and apply to your own life. Ironically, combining the
blueprints of others allows you to craft your own goals and visions and
provides you with your very own opportunities to become an inspiration.
When the final out is retired in the final frame of your final game, isn't
that what we all want to leave on the field of play?
Thanks for the gift! It is truly appreciated!
Coach
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