Lessons Learned from Basketball

“Oh, no,” I can see Mom saying, with a shake of her head. “I’ve heard more about basketball in the last seven days than I ever wanted to know! And you’re telling me I need to talk basketball with my boys?”

Oh, yes – there are lessons even there. If your boys are there already, Mom, half your battle is won. Step onto their territory and mine the lessons from it!

And this week’s lesson?

It’s not over till it’s over. Hang in there. Persevere.

Surely you’ve heard about the six-overtime game between Syracuse and University of Connecticut. The Syracuse Orange beat UConn 127-117 in a game that lasted three hours and forty-six minutes. Only one other college basketball game went longer – when Cincinnati beat Bradley in a seven-overtime match in 1981. And just about twenty-four hours after their six-overtime win, Syracuse found the energy to win yet another overtime game against West Virginia. These boys just don’t give up!

Granted, if you're following March Madness closely, you'll know that Syracuse did fall to Louisville. But many are pinning their hopes on Louisville to advance all the way, so the Syracuse team met extremely tough opposition head-on. And even the loss to Louisville can't negate their awe-inspiring six-overtime win. The team's perseverance will be part of that classic tale for years to come.

When you read accounts of the game, words like heart and will and persistence surface. So use that teachable moment to remind your boys to do whatever they do with heart and will and persistence. Because it’s not over till it’s over. In the midst of adversity, hang in there, boys. Persevere.

For the love of boys,
Laura