Basketball is a beautiful game. My first memories of playing basketball are from age 4, when my parents gave me a small basketball for Christmas and encouraged me to dribble it over and over and over again. Growing up in Sackville, New Brunswick, my first opportunity to play in the lauded Sackville Basketball Association (SBBA) came in the 2nd grade. I developed a deep love for the game of basketball playing with close friends who became my brothers: Michael Vickruck, Logan Crossman, and Marc McDougall. We continued to grow and develop our games together in and out of season. We would play at recess, in the rain at the park, all summer long on my driveway, we couldn’t get enough.

Throughout our seven basketball seasons together we experienced just about every possible basketball game scenario: close games, blowout losses, big wins, tournament medals, and heartbreaking defeats. One of the games that sticks out most in my memory is from way back in 6th grade. We were playing in the “Early Bird Tournament” hosted by the Port Elgin Pirates (shoutout to my good friend Patrick Sloan). We had a good team that year and played well in the round robin, won the semi-final, and were off to the finals! Waiting for us in the finals was a team from Pugwash, Nova Scotia. In those days, Nova Scotia’s basketball league cutoff dates allowed 7th graders to play in the grade 5/6 division. As you know, when you’re a kid, playing against older kids is a big deal. Not only were a few of our Pugwashian opponents older, one of them was a six footer. For those whose active imaginations conjured up images of a 7th grader with six legs, six feet, and six pairs of all white Adidas (not a sponsor) “T-Mac 3” kicks , you need to hit pause. I was referring to a 7th grader, a 12-year old, who was over six feet tall. Yes, they do exist, though not quite as rare as 7th graders with six feet…

We punched above our weight (and height) throughout the game. Battling back and forth with the six footer and his cronies. We executed some of our best plays, defense, and problem solving to put the ball in the hoop by any means necessary. With five seconds remaining in the game we were down by one point. Our coach at the time was Andy Marr, a coach so mythical that I expect him to be enshrined in the basketball hall of fame someday soon. Coach Marr drew up an awesome play, Vickruck would inbound the ball to me, I would beat my defender and drive to the hoop, where Marc and Logan would be cutting to the basket looking for a dish and a hopeful chance at an open layup. And *break, we left the huddle. With hearts racing and the crowd roaring we got to our agreed upon spots and waited for the whistle. The inbounds pass was seamless, I beat my defender, saw Logan open near the basket, hit him with a bounce pass, and he laid the ball up. Victory was ours, it was a forgone conclusion, Logan was our leading scorer that season, I knew if I could get him the ball, he would get buckets. To my dismay, Logan’s shot was just a few centimeters too long; it bounced off of the backboard, rolled around the rim for what seemed like an eternity, then fell off the side of the rim and bounced onto the floor. The buzzer sounded, the game was over, we had lost. Heartbreak. As the shock wore off, our team rushed over to Logan, who was laying on the ground, dejected. We sat with him for a few minutes, sharing the burden of his disappointment. Then, we picked him up and hugged him. Later, in the team meeting, Coach Marr gushed about how proud he was, especially of us picking Logan up when he was upset. While typing this article, 19 years after the fact, my heart wishes that Logan’s shot had found nylon and counted for a final, triumphant, game winning two points. 

Sadly, it wasn’t to be. Sometimes in life we take high percentage shots that we’ve practiced and prepared for, and we miss. Sometimes we lose. Today, in this story, the point of emphasis isn’t on winning and losing. The point that I want to emphasize is on the importance of empowering others to have the highest percentage, best look at the basket that they can have. When we zoom this concept out and apply it to life, shots at career goals, dreams, and relationships replace baskets, balls, and games. Throughout the myriad forms of leadership, many of us have the potential, today, this week, and this year to empower others to take their best shot. 

During my fateful day on the basketball court in 6th grade, multiple factors had to converge in order for our team to have a chance at the game winning shot. Here are just a few factors: James Naismith (*Canadian) needed to invent the game of basketball in 1892, parents needed to sign us up to play, coaches needed to learn how to coach, the basketball tournament needed to be organized, our coach needed to draw up an awesome play, the players needed to have adequate levels of basketball literacy in order to perform the play, the play needed to be executed precisely (timing, player movement, passes), and I needed to pass the ball to Logan for the shot. 

Let’s examine a few of these factors in relation to leading others. Without coach Marr drawing up a play that he knew would be effective, given our understanding of the game of basketball, we wouldn’t have been able to have had the chance to take the final shot, let alone make it. I cannot understate this enough, yes, we know that “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”, but this saying doesn’t encapsulate the difficulty engrained in getting open for a shot in the first place. Coach Marr was our principal, headmaster, CEO, and superintendent. He spent years honing his skills while playing and coaching. Coach Marr also took the time to know the members of his team, putting them in positions to have the greatest amount of success. He then drew up the play and sent us out on the court to be successful. He empowered us. 

Another factor worth examining is the art of the pass. Growing up, I played point guard. The point guard is the member of the team who has the responsibility of dribbling the ball up the court and initiating the offensive plays. They are the on-court extension of the coach, the active duty game manager. Coach Marr would always tell me “a good pass is a caught pass”. It didn’t matter how hard I could throw the ball or if it went through my opponent’s legs or not, if my target didn’t catch the ball, then my pass was a failure. On that day in Port Elgin, my pass was on point. I drove past my defender, gave a look at the basket as if I was going to shoot, then made a crisp bounce pass to Logan, and he caught it. I played the role of the peer, friend, manager, or teacher. I set Logan up with the best pass that I could in order to help him, and our entire team to be successful. I empowered him. 

I will always remember that play, the excitement, and the shot rolling around the rim. It is the stuff of legend. Moving forward I want to empower students, peers, strangers, colleagues, and mentors to take their best shot. No matter what role I’m in. I recognize that every situation and relationship are different. But, I challenge you to reflect and consider the times in your life when you were empowered to have success: to achieve on the test, to get the job, to graduate, to develop professionally, to care for someone in need, or to be generous. Now plan your next actions of empowerment. Who will you draw up the play for? What play will you draw up? How will you execute the play? What will the final pass look like? Is there someone that you could mentor and share your skills with? Is there an organization who could use a generous donation in this pandemic hit world we live in? Is there a student that you could give extra help to at lunch time? Is there an extracurricular activity that you could support? Is there someone in your life who could use a bit more kindness and patience? I’m sure there is. Bear in mind that sometimes when people take their best shot, they miss. Be ready to pick them back up, or sit with them for a while until they’re ready to try again. 

Go forth and empower others to take their best shot. 🏀

There are also times when the shot goes in! On Saturday, January 22nd, the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in an NBA game. The game came down to a 105-105 tie with just five seconds remaining. The Warriors turned to their superstar, my vote for this year’s MVP, Steph Curry to take the last shot. Coach Steve Kerr drew up a play that would have forward Otto Porter Jr. inbound the ball to Steph for the final shot. Check out the video below of the magic that ensued:

Without Coach Kerr deciding on the play and Porter Jr. accurately passing the ball to Curry, the shot wouldn’t have had the chance to go in. When you watch Steph Curry highlights from now on and for the rest of time this highlight will be among his best. It took a lot of empowerment from many people: parents, teachers, grocery store workers, gas pump attendants, professors, peers, coaches, and teammates throughout Steph’s life to lead to that successful shot. And what a shot it was! 

Thanks to my brother, Billy Delong for the live arena POV of Steph’s awesome shot. Billy was in attendance for this game, sent me his video, and inspired me to write this article.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. It was a pleasure spending time with you today.

Peace & Blessings, 

– Josiah