I'm a Shooter
My brother got married this past Friday. It was a great outdoor ceremony and went very well. I'll try to post some pictures soon. (My computer's hard drive burned out a couple of weeks ago, so I'm having to re-load programs and get some new ones that got erased. My photo and video programs got taken off and I'm trying to decide if I'll go with what I had or upgrade.) In honor of Luke's marriage, I wanted to share a story about him that's one of my favorites because of all it says about him.
A few years ago, when I was home one Christmas, I went with Luke to our high school gym; he was meeting a couple of guys, two brother actually, for basketball lessons. They were in 7th and 5th grades, as I best remember. He went through some ball-handling drills, shooting progressions, and other exercises. I helped out by rebounding and jumped in near the end of the session for a 2-on-2 shooting competition. We played from various spots on the floor, finishing with a 3-point shootout. The younger of the brothers said that he didn't shoot three's because he couldn't make them. He tried shooting a few, missing them pretty badly. One or two of them were close, but mostly he was missing. And that's when Luke did one of the things he does best.
Luke got in the boy's face with a stern look on his own. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Do you think you make that shot?" The boy said yeah, but without much confidence. Luke asked him again, "Can you make it?" raising his voice a bit more than the previous time. The boy said yes, slightly more certain but still with lots of hesitation. Luke responded that he didn't think the boy really believed that he could be a three-point shooter, but knew that the kid wanted to be. Luke told him to repeat after him, "I'm a shooter!" So he reluctantly said, "I'm a shooter." Luke raised his voice again, filling the gym with "I'm a shooter!" The boy tried to match him a bit. Luke shouted it louder, "I'M A SHOOTER!" They went back and forth three or four more times, finishing with each of them shouting the phrase, smiling, and believing a bit more that it really was true.
After this exchange, the kid threw up a three. And to his complete surprise, it hit nothing but net. His brother threw the ball back to him. Luke told him to say "I'm a shooter," which he did and made it again. Each time, before using all his strength to throw the ball through the hoop, he shouted and believed that he really was a shooter. He made five or six straight threes. He was beaming; he was smiling and laughing and feeling so great about himself. He displayed a confidence that hadn't been seen throughout the whole time we'd been in the gym. And he was making shots.
And I'd say it was due not the techniques Luke had taught or the practice time they'd put it; those were contributors, sure, but not why. The boy believed in himself because Luke believed in him. Luke pushed him to have the mentality that's needed to take a shot from behind the line and have the confidence that it's going to sail through the net; he taught him to believe it even when he missed, to believe that the next shot would go in. Because of this belief, the boy shot with confidence and made more threes in that five minute stretch than he had the whole hour we'd been there.
It was my first time watching Luke give lessons like that, but it didn't surprise me to watch the ease with which he interacted with the guys. Or the way encouragement flowed in all their activities. He built up their confidence, helping them believe they could do things they previously thought impossible. He makes those around him feel important. He makes mundane drills exciting. He creates fun and laughter even in tiring and boring activities. He brings joy to everything he does. He knows how to relate to people, how to make them smile, how to make them feel comfortable.
He helps others see things about themselves that are wonderful, beautiful, and unique. That's something very special and it's something I've loved about him for a long time. Now he gets to share it in a way like never before. Happy wedding, bro :)
A few years ago, when I was home one Christmas, I went with Luke to our high school gym; he was meeting a couple of guys, two brother actually, for basketball lessons. They were in 7th and 5th grades, as I best remember. He went through some ball-handling drills, shooting progressions, and other exercises. I helped out by rebounding and jumped in near the end of the session for a 2-on-2 shooting competition. We played from various spots on the floor, finishing with a 3-point shootout. The younger of the brothers said that he didn't shoot three's because he couldn't make them. He tried shooting a few, missing them pretty badly. One or two of them were close, but mostly he was missing. And that's when Luke did one of the things he does best.
Luke got in the boy's face with a stern look on his own. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Do you think you make that shot?" The boy said yeah, but without much confidence. Luke asked him again, "Can you make it?" raising his voice a bit more than the previous time. The boy said yes, slightly more certain but still with lots of hesitation. Luke responded that he didn't think the boy really believed that he could be a three-point shooter, but knew that the kid wanted to be. Luke told him to repeat after him, "I'm a shooter!" So he reluctantly said, "I'm a shooter." Luke raised his voice again, filling the gym with "I'm a shooter!" The boy tried to match him a bit. Luke shouted it louder, "I'M A SHOOTER!" They went back and forth three or four more times, finishing with each of them shouting the phrase, smiling, and believing a bit more that it really was true.
After this exchange, the kid threw up a three. And to his complete surprise, it hit nothing but net. His brother threw the ball back to him. Luke told him to say "I'm a shooter," which he did and made it again. Each time, before using all his strength to throw the ball through the hoop, he shouted and believed that he really was a shooter. He made five or six straight threes. He was beaming; he was smiling and laughing and feeling so great about himself. He displayed a confidence that hadn't been seen throughout the whole time we'd been in the gym. And he was making shots.
And I'd say it was due not the techniques Luke had taught or the practice time they'd put it; those were contributors, sure, but not why. The boy believed in himself because Luke believed in him. Luke pushed him to have the mentality that's needed to take a shot from behind the line and have the confidence that it's going to sail through the net; he taught him to believe it even when he missed, to believe that the next shot would go in. Because of this belief, the boy shot with confidence and made more threes in that five minute stretch than he had the whole hour we'd been there.
It was my first time watching Luke give lessons like that, but it didn't surprise me to watch the ease with which he interacted with the guys. Or the way encouragement flowed in all their activities. He built up their confidence, helping them believe they could do things they previously thought impossible. He makes those around him feel important. He makes mundane drills exciting. He creates fun and laughter even in tiring and boring activities. He brings joy to everything he does. He knows how to relate to people, how to make them smile, how to make them feel comfortable.
He helps others see things about themselves that are wonderful, beautiful, and unique. That's something very special and it's something I've loved about him for a long time. Now he gets to share it in a way like never before. Happy wedding, bro :)
posted by Adam at 6:06 PM
2 Comments:
what a great story -- one, believe it or not, that i'd never heard. thanks, adam, for all you did to help your "little brother" this past weekend. you were a great best man and i hope you realize what a huge part you've played in him becoming all that he is today.
ps i love this picture!
Adam, Adam, Adam... I love your writing skills! It has been awhile since I have checked in here on your blog, but I noticed your FBook update about getting engaged (super congrats by the way). I just finished reading "The Proposal" and "The Shooter" and both made me tear up (don't tell Chad). Thanks for blessing my day with your written words. Doug Osborn
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