This is always an exciting time of the year for me. I love the anticipation of the beginning of the school year and preseason basketball workouts. I have finished watching a lot of potential future tigers on the AAU circuit during July, and anxiously await the arrival of our current team to campus. I am more excited this August as many improvements have been and are being made to our campus and athletic facilities. Two of the oldest dormitories on our campus have been torn down and replaced with two brand new ones. We have renovated our weight training facility in Bill Vining Arena with new, state-of-the-art flooring and equipment. It is a great time to be at OBU and especially to be a part of the men’s basketball program. Having completed the first season of a new era of Tiger basketball, we look forward to building on the foundation laid by last season’s team. All seven of our returning lettermen from 2009-10 played a crucial role in our progress. It is equally exciting to welcome six new faces to the program. As I watched high school seniors-to-be during July, I thought a lot about the two most significant elements of our program: Attitude and Effort. These happen to be the only two factors in life that we execute control over. Coincidentally, they will also have the greatest impact on our personal and collective success. Rarely, will I become upset or impatient with a player’s shortcomings when his attitude and effort have been adequate.
Effort is not merely physical. Some players think that they are giving sufficient effort if they are running as hard, cutting as hard, or jumping as high as possible. Maximum physical exertion is certainly non-negotiable in terms of effort, but satisfactory effort also requires concentration. It is important to never mistake activity for accomplishment. Mental focus coupled with maximum physical exertion is our standard for effort.
We also have full control of our attitude. Similarly, many players mistake their attitude for whether or not they react verbally in a negative way or talk back to a coach. Our attitude about anything is a direct result of what is in our heart. A poor attitude can be demonstrated by simple things such as poor or disinterested body language, or lack of eye contact. Some of the worst attitude and behavior that is most detrimental to teams is NOT what is said in the presence of the coach or teammates, but what is said about them in the locker room, behind their backs, or even to members of the media. When placed in adverse situations, what is in our heart usually surfaces. Adversity WILL come, and this is why a winning attitude comes from the status of our heart. A player with a winning heart and attitude will put the success of the program in front of personal achievement and statistics. He will allow himself to be coached and mentored.
Attitude and Effort are at the core of a True Tiger!
In Christ,
Coach Price
Galatians 6:7-8
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