“Are the HABITS you have today on par with the DREAMS you have for tomorrow?”

Alan Stein, Jr.

If you didn’t read last week’s post called, “Trouble in Discovery,” read that one before you read this one. Today’s post is the second of a few I will be doing based on my new book, Trouble in Discovery: Remington Rises Up. This is book #2 in my Remington Roberts Series of fictional stories following a young man named Remington Roberts through his high school basketball career and on into his future in college.

Details on the release of Trouble in Discovery and how you can get it will be forthcoming in the next couple of weeks. Until then, I’m offering you some of the chapters of the book in my posts, so you can get a taste of what the story is like.

If you haven’t already done so, pick up Ultimate Team Player on the SlamDunk Success site’s Shop page or on Amazon, so you can see how Remington’s junior year laid the foundation for this year. While you don’t have to have read the first book to understand and enjoy the second book, it will certainly be a help for you. I have dropped the price on the eBook version of Ultimate Team Player over on Amazon to just $.99, so now is the perfect time to pick it up.

The quote above by Alan Stein, Jr. plays a role in Chapter 2 today. We all have dreams for our future. But what we do each day to make those dreams happen is the key to whether or not they will come true. Watch what Remington and his teammates begin planning in order to make their dream of winning their ultimate prize come true.

 

Chapter 2

Two weeks later at the end-of-season banquet, Del stood before the parents and players and highlighted the season and all of the team’s accomplishments. As he called out each player’s name to come up to the podium to be recognized for their participation in the program, he said a few words about each of them while handing them their certificate and their varsity letter if they won one. Once all of the boys had received their letters and certificates, Del moved to the awards portion of the evening.

Del read off the various conference, state, and team awards that team members had earned. Cade Clemons and Remington Roberts had been named First Team All-Conference, with Remington garnering All-State recognition as a junior. Ricky Flynn, another senior, and Nick Bertucci, a junior, were named Second Team All-Conference players. Brian Jackson, a sophomore, was recognized as an Honorable Mention All-Conference player. Brian showed a lot of growth throughout the season, and he looked like he was going to explode in his development over the course of the next year. With Remington, Nick Bertucci, and Brian all returning, the Wolves would be heavily favored to get to the state tournament and do some damage there.

Del then shifted from speaking of the individual and team highlights of the season to looking towards the future. He talked about how promising the next year looked with all of the players they had returning with a lot of varsity experience. But he also cautioned them. “If you think that because you had some success this year, you will automatically have success next year, you would be sadly mistaken. It is going to take a whole lot more work to continue that success and go further with it. You must prepare yourselves to do so. And that won’t happen if you start preparing in November. Basketball players are made between March and November. Those who try to make themselves great from November to March never achieve the greatness they seek. You must put in the time in the off-season to become what you want to become in the season.”

Del paused and looked around at the team, nodding their heads with an intensity in their expressions that showed they were ready to get to work. Del continued, “However, I have never been more confident in a group that they will do just that than I am in this group. In my years as a player and a coach, I have never seen a group of teammates as focused and committed as the group that will return next year. From returning varsity players through the JV and freshmen players, the key will be how well you translate your words and desires into action.”

Del said, “I would like to close with a quote that is so appropriate right now. It comes from a basketball trainer and coach named Alan Stein Jr. He speaks all around the world to high schools, colleges, and businesses. This quote has been adopted by so many people, and it is fitting for us to consider as we begin to embark on our journey to next year. The quote is this: “Are the HABITS you have today on par with the DREAMS you have for tomorrow?”

Del paused and said, “Boys, you have stated your dream and what you would like to accomplish. But it will take the right daily habits to get you to that dream you seek. Are the habits you have today on par with the dreams you have for tomorrow? Your actions every day will determine whether or not you achieve your dream.”

As Del turned back to the podium to address the crowd of parents, Remington Roberts stepped forward and said, “Coach, do you mind if I say something?”

Del looked a little startled at Remington. Del turned back to the crowd and joked, “I guess when you become an All-State player, you think you own the room, huh?”

As they all smiled and laughed, Remington had a serious look, and he stepped forward to say, “No, Coach, that’s not it at all. I just want to say that your words about our off-season are the most important words you’ve said tonight. Yeah, we’re here to celebrate the season and recognize our seniors and thank them for all they did for our program through the years. That’s the main focus of the night, and it’s a great thing for us to do.”

Remington turned to look around at the younger players in line as he continued. “But for us younger guys, tonight is also the opening of next season. Each of us needs to put in the time this off-season to become the best we can be. We all need to get in the gym and the weight room.”

Remington turned and looked out at the freshmen and JV players sitting in the crowd, too. As he spoke, he alternated from looking at the younger players in the crowd and those in the line behind him. “Don’t wait until next fall. It starts tomorrow. I know a lot of us play spring sports. But we need to make the time to get our workouts in. Over at my table, I have some schedules of times for when we want to get in the gym and weight room that should work around your spring sports schedules. See me after this, and I will get you one. Guys, our state championship quest starts now!”

Remington stepped back into the line with all of the other varsity players. As he did so, players started clapping and yelling, “Yeah, Rem! We’re with you, man! Absolutely! Let’s go.”

Del said, “Great job, Rem. Maybe I should make you assistant coach in charge of off-season scheduling!” The crowd laughed, but they could tell Remington meant business. If the boys wanted to get to the Promised Land of a State Championship, they were going to have to work harder than they had ever worked before. Del couldn’t wait to see how many of the kids followed up on their words and their excitement tonight by actually getting in and starting their workouts in the next few days.

 

Ideas to Consider

  • At the end-of-season banquet, Coach Brooks said, “Basketball players are made between March and November.” What did he mean by that?
  • Del reads a quote from Alan Stein, Jr. “Are the HABITS you have today on par with the DREAMS you have for tomorrow?” What does that quote mean? How is Remington already preparing to put that quote into action?