Okay, my freshman and sophomore years of high school I was cut from the basketball team. While, I rarely think about it these days, my subconscious must be having a field day with it, because I have reoccurring dreams about head coach Charlie Cobb and the try-out process. Maybe it's my subconscious telling me I shouldn't have given up on my dream of playing high school basketball in order to concentrate on track after being cut sophomore year, or maybe it's something more. Whatever it is, I can't figure out why ole Charlie keeps haunting me in my dreams.
As I think about it more, I wonder if Charlie is trying to tell me that my life has more to offer the world than running a successful online clothing store. Do I really want to be known as the guy who moves enough clothes online to pay the bills, or am I destined for something more? As I think back on it now, I came into freshman year a scrawny 5' 2" runt. I had some ball handling skills, but I can understand why Charlie and his crew passed on me. By sophomore year, I sprouted up to about 5' 5" and added some speed after lettering in track as a freshman, but that year the Gish twins transferred from private school and the Cascade football team won the state championship, so any hope of a spot on the squad was stolen by those sharp shooting twins and far more husky football players earning reward from sophomore Coach Nickelson.
Ya, luck definitely wasn't on my side. By junior year, the dream was practically over. I was pigeon holed into runner status and we all know coaches aren't about to put a cross country runner at point guard when there was a kid working year round for that position. Truth be told, I probably wasn't good enough. I make excuses now, but maybe I didn't work hard enough for the job.
Since then, a lot of opportunities have come my way and I've managed marginal success at some, but I've also managed to botch a lot of them. As I approach middle age, new opportunities are bound to cross my path and I'm sure Charlie Cobb is going to keep appearing in my dreams. It's just the way it goes. Truthfully, I guess I didn't REALLY give up on basketball. I kept playing pick up through high school and college. I eventually dunked a basketball when I was 19. I practiced with the community college squad at Everett and kept up with the best of them.
Lesson learned: There's potential in all of us. It's just a matter of fostering that potential into something great.
It seems cliche to say that you should never give up on your dreams, but, looking back, I should have never given up on my dream. Follow your passion and don't let any number of Gish twins or husky football players stand in your way. Forge on and Charlie will notice you.
A few years after high school, I saw ole Charlie watching the Marysville-Pilchuck baseball team one spring afternoon when I was working for The Globe as a sports reporter. I didn't have to introduce myself. Turns out ole Charlie remembered the scrawny kid who chased his dream for a few years in his gym. Even in failure, you're able to impact people's lives. Keep striving for excellence people. In the long run, it'll pay off.
Oh ya, and if there's a little peppercorn in your salt shaker, don't fret because it just adds more flavor to your meal.
Nice!! :)
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