It takes more than talent

When it comes to winning, there is more to it than just having talent. Granted, on a basketball court, a roster full of athletes with the ability to hit a three, handle the ball, defend the best opponents and do all of the things that any team could ever ask for would be incredibly awesome. But let’s face it … having that roster happens only on occasion in a school that is small when competing against larger schools.

So, how do we at Newcastle High School compete against schools with a much larger pool to draw from? 

Let’s be honest. We can’t always do so. We don’t have as many weapons as Douglas or Buffalo. We may be able to get seven out there on a basketball court who can outplay the Bearcats or the Bison, but 32 minutes of high intensity basketball means you need subs who can come in and give the starters a break without losing any momentum.

What that means for us is that by the fourth quarter, we may be running out of gas while those bigger schools still have a little left in the tank.

When it comes to sports like football, we may be suiting smaller guys and players who are younger and less physically mature which puts us at a disadvantage.

In swimming, our numbers are less than other conference schools, so we simply have fewer opportunities to score points, even if all of our swimmers place and finish well in their races. We just can’t get the numbers to put competitors in every race which means we will end up with fewer team points in the end.

Does that mean we can never end up on the top of the podium in any sport here in Newcastle?

I’m willing to say that that is not the inevitability. 

I think a huge component of building a winning program is to fill it with athletes who possess a competitive spirit. That inherent drive that makes you push yourself to the limit in order to win. 

We can’t enter into a contest with the idea that we don’t stand a chance against our opponent because of their record or the arsenal of weapons they bring to the game. We have to go into every game with the determination to outplay them and do our utmost to end up on top.

I’ve witnessed teams who, on paper, should never have competed against a team who was “better” than them.

When I broadcasted games, I heard, more than once, the sportscaster from the other team literally communicating to his listening audience how the team he represented was astounded by what they were facing on the court and that Newcastle was bringing more than they could withstand.

Were the Dogies outnumbered by talent? Probably. But the kids on the court were outplaying the deeper team by sheer will, guts and grit. 

Having that competitive spirit seriously drives you to do things you maybe never thought possible. It gives you the will to push through the pain of fatigue to perform at your best. It allows you the ability to keep going when you think your body is going to fail you.

Then, if you can combine your own competitive spirit with a team full of it, you can fuel yourself from the energy given off by your teammates. 

And what it comes down to is, even if you lose in the end, you know that you gave absolutely everything you had to win and that, in and of itself, is a win in the long run.

The winning attitude is something you build and nurture and will follow you all the days of your life. It will bode well for you in absolutely everything you do for as long as you live. 

Plus, it might put another banner on the wall of the Dogie Dome, which is something you will look back on and treasure always.