With the regular season winding down, Outside the Huddle reached out to a handful of area senior boys basketball players. These players have spent 3-4 years on the varsity level. We asked them to tell us, in their own words, what they’d do different if they could go back to the start of their varsity careers, reminisce about their legacy and look forward to their final prep postseason. This is one such story:
IF I COULD GO BACK
If I could go back in time and tell the freshman version of myself something to do differently, there would be two things:
1) Play to WIN. Players, coaches and teams say it, but very few do EVERYTHING that is needed to truly WIN. This takes individual effort and team effort. They can and must coincide to have true success. Teams need on court leaders that demand others play 100% and those leaders must do the same otherwise the message gets lost.
2) Play like you did when you were a kid. Enjoy competing, enjoy your teammates, enjoy every second of it because it is over in a blink of any eye.
MY LEGACY
My impact on the program should’ve have been greater sadly. There are many factors why it wasn’t, but I take responsibility for it. I gave eight years to this program and I am proud of that. I am proud to be a Hornet. Never once did I consider being anything else or not being a Hornet basketball player. I am grateful for the opportunity. Why my career wasn’t realized in full is mostly due to that I am a good athlete that plays basketball. I should have been a good basketball player that was also a good athlete. There is a difference. Hopefully, I will translate that into my volleyball career at Ball State next year.
MY FINAL POSTSEASON
It has been a roller coaster season. Lots of distractions and “excuses” for why we aren’t better. My goal is to put that all behind me and my team; to come together as a team and just play hard individually and for each other. We will need myself, Max and the juniors to step up these last weeks but I KNOW we are good enough to win. But we have to go out and prove it every night! We haven’t done that. We control the narrative of this season. No one else! I hope to change that and make a late run this season. I need to be that leader that helps us do that.
I personally want to thank Bounce for the coverage you’ve given me, my team, our program and area basketball. We are blessed to have people that care about us student athletes. Thank You!
– Dyer Ball, Angola Class of 2020
That reflection and perspective is wise beyond his years. Best of luck, next week. Leave it all on the floor!