Basketball at Brigham Young University — 1976
Basketball has been and continues to be a source of fun and enjoyment for me. I remember many times when this fun and enjoyable pastime became a very competitive and serious matter. One of those times was during my junior year at Brigham Young University when I took an advanced basketball class. I knew this would be an easy “A” for me, despite having to sit through obligatory lectures on the rules and history of basketball. This “easy A” class immediately took on a much greater significance when the instructor announced that a portion of our grade would be based on the outcome of a “one-on-one” tournament at the end of the semester. I became much more aware of the other students in the class and of their basketball prowess, evaluating my chances of doing well in the tournament. There were several excellent players in the class, in particular a ‘Robert Redford look-alike’ from southern California.
As the semester progressed, we all played against each other in various settings, but never one-on-one. Myself and the Californian appeared to be the two best players in the class, and it appeared likely that we were heading toward an ultimate showdown in the one-on-one tournament at the end of the semester. We played against each other numerous times during the term in ‘3-on-3’ or ‘5-on-5′ games. We became familiar with each others’ moves and strengths and tactics. The end of the semester arrived, and as I had anticipated, the Californian and I worked our respective ways through the winner’s bracket of the one-on-one tournament and faced each other in the final playoff championship game.
We were scheduled to play each other on the last day of the semester on the main floor in the Smith Fieldhouse. One would think that this was a relatively unimportant event, as we had both earned A’s and proven our basketball prowess, but such was not the case. The spirit of competition and male pride made this a fiercely-contested battle. We were both convinced that we could win and prove ourself to be the top player in the class. This was no longer an assignment for a class; it was a matter of personal pride and personal fulfillment. The day arrived, and myself, my opponent, our class instructor, and a few interested students from the class were the only persons present. As I recall, we played to 21 by ones. As expected, my opponent utilized his quick moves and jump shots from 8 to 15 feet, while I took the ball to the basket for inside shots. We were very evenly matched, exchanging basket for basket right down to the wire. I won the game with the score being 21 points for me, and 19 for him. There were no cheering fans, no adoring cheerleaders, no hearty congratulations, but I still remember the intense satisfaction I felt inside in having accomplished a very difficult feat. The joy was not found in seeing another person defeated, but in achieving a level of skill and ability after many years of practice and effort, and using that skill against stiff competition. The “lessons for life” learned from this sports experience remain fresh in my memory, those being a strong work ethic, taking pride in doing well, and pushing oneself beyond self-imposed limits.
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