Better People, Better Students, Better Athletes...

The first day of basketball practice this year closed with the players reflecting on the following quotation:

“I have a standard, and it is a high standard. If you aim for perfection, you’ll reach greatness. If you strive for greatness, you’ll reach good. If you aim for good, you’ll reach average. Don’t lower that standard.” - Lou Holtz

to which Dresean L., a Varsity guard whose willingness to learn and work is unparalleled in our program, said, “You only become great if you demand a lot of yourself.”

The coaches followed with:

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” - Conrad Hilton

to which Keyon M., a senior who, though unable to play this year, is still a part of the team and harbors a very realistic chance of playing in college due to his work ethic, attitude, and skill, said, “You can’t ever stop. You just have to keep coming – especially when things are hard.”

Which has most recently led to:

“What is to give light must endure burning.” - Viktor Frankl

to which Andre S., a Junior Varsity point guard with a quick first step and a non-stop mouth, reflected, “I think it means that if you’re going to be really good at something, you have to work really hard.”

Clearly what we are developing at Oracle is a different kind of basketball program. Through basketball and the camaraderie it offers, we believe that we can teach the young men in our program the principles of what it means to be accountable, honest, and hard-working student leaders who open up doors for their futures and enliven those around them. And when the wins on the court start pouring in, we will look at them as a product -- not the product -- of our time and work together.