Grinding. That’s what it feels like right now. Just like those fall workouts where it seems like the games are forever and a day away and you have to find the inner passion to self-motivate. Get to the gym, get up shots, work on your handle (dribbling), and conditioning. None of those seem particularly exciting some days and yet that’s what produces results – the work done before the team is all-together; before the plays are drawn out or the scouting reports prepared – the grind.
So here we are at CBSA, through most of the paperwork, website up and running, donations being passively accepted, have made a great connection with Pat Burke of ebasketballdrills.com (very cool concept – excited to have them involved), volunteers starting to join, but we’re still in a bit of a self-motivating phase. The best news was not only reconnecting with my friend David from high school (my first coaching stint was with him as juniors and seniors coaching 11-12year olds in Falls Church, VA) but the fact that he is working at the US Consulate Office in Chennai! The public launch/kick-off event is going to happen in October (special thanks to Meghan Harrell at the Lyons Group), the advisory group phone call is also a month away and we’re in limbo mode waiting to hear back from the shoe companies.
But just because we are past the initial buzz of the organization does not mean the hustle has ended. And if you have ever tried to get in touch with the Indian Association of Greater Boston – you would know that it takes some hustle. For an organization who just threw a great India Day event on August 15, I was shocked that their email address kept bouncing back emails. And even though the website has been set-up, now the goal is to increase our presence through social media by increasing the number of people globally who both “Like” our fan page on Facebook (search Crossover Basketball and Scholars Academy) and following us on Twitter (@CrossoverBBall). As of writing this post, we are at 76 and 37 respectively.
So the momentum and onus is on us (yes, I’m including you who are reading this as part of the solution) to generate interest, to bring us up in conversations with friends and not let the wheels slow down. We have a chance to change the world for not just students next year but to help set the tone of how athletics and education can coexist without either being sacrificed.
“Great ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance. What will your contribution be? How will history remember you?” – William Hundert “The Emperors’ Club”
I believe that if you are reading this blog – you are already interested in finding a way to contribute to what we are trying to do. So get in touch, fill out the online forms, decide that you will not only make a donation but also reach out to others about our work and encourage their involvement.
How will history remember you?