Musings About Game 1

Watch the video at your leisure and think about it. Leading is service, serving our people. 

Congratulations on a remarkable comeback. History measures teams by their ability to exert and to handle pressure.

Trailing 2-0 on the road, it would be easy to "mail it in." I've seen teams do that across sports and it's not pretty. 

Coaches want teams and players to reflect our personality, our teaching, our will to do "whatever it takes" to win. 

"Success leaves footprints." Aggression, skill, and consistency separate the most successful teams. 

Sabine Wenzel put up 30 kills last night. That tied the all-time Melrose record. I hope it's on film because that's special. Melrose needed big numbers and she delivered attacks and block-kills, especially at key points in the match. 

Years ago our middle school girls suffered a tough loss and Leonora Ivers tried to take responsibility. Bella Federico, a great kid, put her arm around Leonora and said, "we win as a team and we lose as a team." That stands out as a moment of empathy. 

Players sometimes "wait their turn" and get rewarded for their patience. That was "Shoe" last night, a 'second generation" (not really) player following in her sister's footsteps. Maggie was a difference maker, a stabilizing force. 

Sample size. There's a saying, "One swallow doesn't make a summer." Years ago Melrose basketball won their first game and freshman Leonora Ivers keyed the victory. They lost the next 19. "Stay humble, stay hungry." You don't even get 24 hours to savor the win. 

In the video (below), the coach notes the importance of program stability, coaching longevity. That's true in sports and in business. Businesses that fail have a leadership revolving door including the accounting department, they "chase" fads instead of having a winning product or service, and they carry excessive 'debt'. There's always a price to pay for everything. 

You 'learn to win' over time. That carries over to school, your family, your relationships (win together), and everything you do. 

Maybe you didn't get in the game last night. That doesn't mean that you didn't contribute. Practicing hard, having a great attitude, working to make yourself and your teammates better matters every day. That's what exceptional teams do. They "prove it" every time they "cross the red line" onto the court. 

Lagniappe. Learn how to win. (Repost) This is an important video.