A small question, do you mind if…?

This article, ‘A small question, do you mind if…?’ I wrote it in February 2010.

Last Saturday I went on to run a game of my pre-child male Alcobendas. When you get to the pavilion Pedro Ferrándiz (of which I have very good memories by the number of clinics that I’ve had the privilege of attending) it turned out that there were still two parties vying for. These in particular were a category juvenile and each match is played on a half-pitch of the main.

It is not unusual since this is a common situation in our basketball training and rarely schedules are met. Far from being a drawback, is an advantage for untimely or disoriented not find either watch or pavilion. For the timely and well-targeted is an extra time to be able to perform a warm-up complete physical and in addition, have another opportunity to mentalizarse and concentrate better and better.

Completed one of the meetings of fry in a half court, but to the other half court still had a fourth to finish the game. The local computer began to make the round of entries on the right. To see and to check that we would still be private (by circumstances) of heat in the other ring… I approached the coach of the local team, and I asked him the following question: “hey, sorry, do you mind if mine and yours warm up together?”

The coach local had no inconvenience, and he agreed. We had the chance to comment on what rare of the situation and enjoy seeing how our guys (who were going to play the first match of the second phase) shared the ball, hoop, and even passes.

To observe such an event, along with the rest of the hall, I asked him how they should feel the players of both teams. In my time of player I NEVER warmed up with the team rival (another case quite different is to heat together in a pachanga street). Surely has to be a strange feeling. Especially because it is something that does not usually happen, and you could even consider it as something far-fetched. But no. It is entirely logical, and above all, UNDERSTANDABLE, two teams warm up together if there is a ring busy or a half court occupied.

“Today for you, tomorrow for me”. “Get in the skin of another”. “What if it was you?” We were fortunate to be able to enjoy that moment, and above all, live it. How many times are given these situations? When the opportunity presents itself, there is that to pick up and enjoy it without hesitation.

When we hear the expression “Basketball training” we tend to think of the teaching-learning of the fundamentals of individual and collective, in the first lessons, pass, throw and kick. In the multitude of content with a distinctly 100 % technical-tactical. But… where is the attitude? By great misfortune, the attitude is something that cannot be taught all of a sudden.

As coaches, and especially as people, we should reflect more and more about how to teach that(s) attitude(is). What is more, we can not talk about attitude, not to speak of his companions, who are the ones that give it its reason for being and existence values. What are the values we pass in our day-to-day to the people around us?

Without a doubt, in the case of our young people (and I’m no grandfather), benjamin a youth, and even some senior (although in this category there is more than one that is created ripe for having met administratively 18 years old…), in the case of the next generation, the best we can do is to exemplify that attitude, showing PERSEVERANCE and INTEGRITY in each of our actions, looks, and words…