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Growth is impossible without reflection.
Yearly reflection.
Post-game reviews.
Studying film from practice
Review forces us to learn.
Season 2 at the Jack jumpers.
My brother moved down to live with me.
I dislocated my shoulder.
Started my online business.
Re-signed for 2 more years.
Lost in a hard-fought game 3 semi-finals.
Through it all, I grew.
The season has many cheers and tears.
Celebrations and revaluations.
Here are three lessons I learned from the 2022/23 NBL Season:
Bet on yourself
What did the so-called professionals have us predicted to come this year?
Not a single person pitched us to make the playoffs again.
Second last.
Lucky run.
I had to listen to it all.
It doesn’t matter though.
Thinking about the opinions of others is wasted energy.
Control what I can control.
I have a core of people who I listen to.
They motivate me.
Inspire me.
Help me believe in myself.
Don’t limit yourself by buying into the crap others say.
Put your head down.
Get to work.
Bet on yourself.
Everyone is tired
Year 5 in the NBL.
Over 100 games played.
I'm grateful to have made incredible friends around the league.
Every time we catch up.
There is one word always thrown around.
Tired.
Everyone is tired.
Working a 9-5 is tiring.
Playing basketball is tiring.
Being a parent is tiring.
Well, I have to ask the question then.
"What do we do about how tired we are?"
First, we have to cover the bases:
Sleep
Hydration
Food
Sunlight
Exercise
Then we cover tier 2:
Stress levels
Purpose
Mental health
Lastly, we cover the 3rd tier:
Will you be willing to do more than the person next to you?
Are you ready to push through the feeling of fatigue?
What are you willing to sacrifice to focus on your goal?
Everyone is tired.
Don’t use it as an excuse.
Don’t take a second for granted
Our time on the basketball court Is short.
Watching incredible basketball players getting benched.
Jet breaking his cheekbone on the last game before playoffs.
Seeing friends for only a night.
Family catchups over facetime.
Long distance relationship.
It goes quickly.
All of it.
I've spent 21 years now chasing the basketball dream.
I'm currently living it.
This season really made me emphasize appreciating all the small moments.
Hanging out in the change room before a game.
Shooting half-court shots in shootaround for some cash.
Driving into the game with Fab.
Life goes quick.
I'm going to enjoy every second of it.
Even crying in the change room after being eliminated from the playoffs.
What a beautiful experience.
Memento mori.