The high school season is under way and I’m already enjoying it.  I’m enjoying it for the usual reasons. I like the game of basketball.  I watch in anticipation of exciting athletic plays – the three point shot, the backdoor cut, an unselfish pass, body control on a contested layup, the lock down defenders, the steal leading to a breakaway layup, and the shot blockers.

I watch to see how the strategy unfolds in the course of a game - the real time decisions and counter moves the coaches make (or don’t) as momentum swings.

I watch because I hope to feel the energy a competitive game brings to the gym when the fans are into it. I hope to see it in the young kids in attendance because maybe two or three of those kids will want to be part of the next generation of players.

Those are just some of the reasons I watch. But what interests me the most is the human dynamic at play in every game – both the masterpieces and the clunkers.

Sometimes we lose sight of the true benefits of sports participation. Through participation in basketball programs girls learn the most important skills, life skills. Those are the benefits that last long after the playing days are over. I believe basketball both builds and displays your character. Basketball games give each player the opportunity to showcase not only their dribbling and shooting skills but their character skills as well. Our actions, far more than our words, show the world who we are, what we believe in and what matters the most to us. Character traits like honesty, integrity, accountability, perseverance, courage, resilience, empathy and self-sacrifice can be observed in the course of a game, a season and a career.

It’s not always plug and play. It doesn’t come easy. We develop these traits over time, through trial and error. You can see it in our seniors who have literally grown up and are ready for this moment. I look for it in the underclassman. Who will be next year’s leaders? Who will refuse to stop learning and improving and challenge the player hierarchy, earning more playing time next year? Who bears down when they are struggling and fights through the frustration. Like life, playing competitive basketball will expose you to incredible highs and lows. That’s where the character is built.  

Kurt Hahn, the founder of the Outward Bound movement said, “your (challenges) are your opportunities”. Those who see their struggles as part of the journey tend to have a growth mindset. They accept their current reality and work to be better – believing that they can be. Those who think their current situation is their destiny have a fixed mindset. They don’t believe they can change or improve. I enjoy watching kids work through the challenges, taking advantage of the opportunities and discovering that they have the power to change.

Watching basketball games over the years I’ve come to appreciate how important these experiences can be – especially for young women. As a brother with 3 sisters, a husband with a wife, a father with a daughter and a grandfather with a 2-year-old granddaughter, I know that the challenges they face as young women are, and will be, different from the ones I and my son faced growing up. Parents want to feel confident about their kid’s future. According to Pathways for Family Wellness, “parents want their children to value themselves, to be self-reliant and independent, to take risks, to be free from stress and anxiety, to live peaceful lives, to celebrate present moments, to value wellness and creativity, and to feel a sense of purpose.”

There is growing evidence that playing basketball (or other sports) can help prepare them for the future.

A Children’s Medical Group report found that “playing sports helps girls emotionally and psychologically:

Higher self-esteem. Girls playing sports have higher self-esteem and look to relationships with boys less to build self-esteem. They say that sports give them more confidence.

Better self-image. Female athletes obsess less about their looks and whether they are attractive. High school girls find participation in sports a way to break gender stereotypes.

More self-confidence. Teenage girls suffer from a lack of self-confidence far more than boys. Studies have consistently shown that girls who are physically active perceive their academic and athletic ability in a better light.

Lower rates of depression. Sports and physical activity are linked to decreased likelihood of symptoms related to stress and depression. “

A Cornell University research report found that 80 percent of Fortune 500 executives and 94 percent of C-suite women were collegiate athletes.

A Deloitte Research Center survey found:

·       According to respondents who have played competitive sports, the top skills gained from competitive sports include teamwork (69%) and leadership (41%). Other skills include managing stress and pressure (36%), problem-solving (35%), and effective communication (34%).

·       Sports teach characteristics like confidence, teamwork, perseverance, and problem-solving. These happen to be the same characteristics companies look for in their leadership roles.

·       69% of women who earn more than $100,000 per year and are in leadership roles played competitive sports—and 85% of women who played sports say the skills they developed playing sports were important to success in their professional careers.

There are a number of national programs targeting the challenges facing young women and promoting solutions. STRONG GIRLS UNITED (https://www.sgunitedfoundation.org/) is a non-profit whose mission is to build confidence in young girl athletes by teaching them life lessons through sports.

Life lessons are the game within the game.  If we can watch from this perspective winning and losing are re-defined – and may not be related to the final score of the game. 

Bob Peterman

Post Script:

Ironically, I wrote this last night. This afternoon the Lady Vikes won a tough game against Sparta in our holiday tournament championship. The game within the game was clearly evident as the game progressed. There were multiple events that provided excuses for losing. Mia got hurt and couldn’t finish the game. Madie got hurt and missed critical minutes. We were flat at the start of the second half and couldn’t get going. We fell behind by 7 late in the 3rd quarter. We were down 5 with 3 minutes to go in the game. Through it all the girls never stopped working. There was no head hanging or self-pity. There was no loss of energy or loss of confidence. Players needed to step up - and they did. They made defensive plays, battled for rebounds, made foul shots under pressure, found the open player and made the pass and handled the pressure and their emotions until the end of the game.

Some of that shows up in the game statistics, but a lot of it doesn’t. The statistics are a product of the mindset – never giving up and believing they could win. That is a big moment for a team and a program. Reflecting on it is important. Recognizing and remembering what it took to win the game is important. And carrying those lessons forward – not just for the rest of the season but for the rest of a lifetime - is important.

One last thought. In attendance today were at least 15 Lady Vikes alumni. You don’t see that at most high schools. It’s always good to see them and hear their stories. Many of them, graduates of the last 3 years, came and sat together in support of their alma mater. That says a lot about their connection to the program and the players. It means a lot to the current players. That’s what happens in good programs.