November 7, 2009

Fred Lanier
NCPreps.com Staff Writer

I picked up a basketball this week and my mind immediately went back to last year's East Duplin varsity boy's basketball team's miracle run to the east regional runner up. My thoughts weren't about the winning or the losing that the season contained, they were about the love and the relationships that I saw built during that time. There is no question that group of young men were under sized and underestimated by their opponents in nearly every contest last season, but look what they achieved. I am of the opinion that their achievement was the epitome of what the word team really means. That group of young men came together as a team and each and every player was a member of the team. From the leading scorer to the last man on the bench, they were a team. Each member made a contribution in some way, in practice, in the game, in the huddle, after the game. In some way each member gave what they could give to help the team.

I have seen some of the same attributes of that team in this year's varsity football team. I see a genuine care for one another and a real desire from each of them to achieve one goal. It's a great thing to see and to be a part of and at such a young age as these young people are, it is a very admirable and yet unusual trait. I know it is high school and it's a game but the real story here is how it pertains to their life and to the adults around them. Let's face it folks, myself included, we could all learn a lot about life from the struggles of a high school game. We could learn about what it takes for us to be a team player and a good example for our children to follow.

I have taken the liberty of using a quote from one of my favorite movies to title my article and it comes from Coach Gary Gaines as portrayed by actor Billy Bob Thornton in the movie "Friday Night Lights". Coach Gaines said "Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It's not about winning. It's about you and your relationship with yourself, your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn't let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn't one more thing you could've done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman - you're perfect!"

With that said, I say it's your decision to be perfect. Young people, whether you are the leading scorer or the last player on the bench, if you have that uniform on, you can be perfect. It's your choice to give it everything you have and to be part of the team, not someone else's. Parents whether you are the boss at your job or the lowest person on the totem pole, it's your choice to be perfect and affect the team and your work environment positively. At home, it's your choice to be a role model and to teach your young people about giving it all they have, whether winning or losing, whether playing every minute of the game or supporting your team from the sidelines. Can you live in that moment? Can you be perfect?