0-2 Record

We have started the season off with 2 losses. It hurts so much to lose and it's hard to put a positive spin on it but I once heard a quote that helps me put things in perspective. It goes:

I been real all my life but they confuse it with conceit.

 I will not lose so they try and help them cheat. 

But I will not lose because even in defeat,

there's a valuable lesson learned so that even's it up for me.

So what is this weekends lesson. There's so much to be learned after starting a season 0-2. I think its more challenging prioritizing the issues according to its importance because when you lose 2 consecutive games there is a lot to work on. 

Team character is ever so important at this moment. It is being defined as we speak. There's an unusual paradox to sports that is evident right about now. Tom Watson once said, "in sports you have to be willing to get worse before you can get better." I have this written on my heart but I'd sure like to start living the "getting better" part of the quote right about now. I think I understand how life works though so I'm not really tripping.  I recognize that I have great challenges ahead of me as a leader and I take pride in my leadership. Over the years, I have gotten away with leading by example but I think my leadership style will have to change as that might not be a good fit for the team we have this season.

When I take a step back and evaluate things, we are definitely putting more pressure on ourselves that necessary. This year the only goal we have is to stay in the league. There isn't any pressure for us to be the best team in the league. That is a personal goal, I think. On the drive home I sat in the front seat of Stefan Ahlhaus's 2010 Audi as we sped down the Autobahn. Literally, there were times we were travelling 180 kph, but I couldn't help but reflect on the game. I'm very critical of myself and even though I scored 25 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 7 assist, got 6 steals, and had 5 turnovers I felt I could have performed better. I can always improve my efficiency. I could have been more vocal. I could have worked harder on Defense. Those are some of the thoughts running through my mind. Then I thought about prayer. When I pray and ask God for patience, He doesn't give me patience. He gives me the opportunity to practice patience. When I pray and ask God for wisdom, He doesn't give me wisdom. He gives me the opportunity to practice wisdom. And the same can be said about anything we pray for. God gives us the opportunity, but in the end we still have to make the choice. I've been praying for our team to grow closer, for good health, and a successful season. I'm now realizing that God is answering my prayers by giving me, and the team, the opportunity to grow closer and build character. You can't do that effectively when everything is going well. We have to get worse before we can get better. We have been given the opportunity of good health with a surrounding team of great athletic trainers, daily practice, and constant exercise. Thats two for two on my prayer list so far. I'm guessing that the team success is next on God's list of things to do. Or at least I'm hoping that is is.