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“Second Scoreboard” Finishes First
Chuck Thomas, my former colleague and mentor, believed in taking a day off now and again and using someone else’s words to fill his column.
And so I do today, with an abridged version of a recent school assembly talk given by Thacher’s Athletic Director Pete Fagan. His wisdom on “The Second Scoreboard” echoes the teachings of another late mentor of mine, Coach John Wooden, and seems invaluable to one and all, on the court or off, as we travel through 2019.
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“Hello and welcome back,” Fagan began.
“Before we left for vacation, we were entertained with a fun basketball game. Even though the boys didn’t win the game, it didn’t mean we weren’t winners that night. We were winners of the more important scoreboard – The Second Scoreboard.
“We’ve used the phase ‘The Second Scoreboard’ for many years on this campus. For the new people, this might be a new term to you. So what does it mean?
“On the surface, we kind of all know what it means – it implies that we worked hard to win, but didn’t. And regardless of the outcome of the games, we feel good about our performance. But there is more to The Second Scoreboard than just ‘trying your best.’
“The first scoreboard is what it implies: the final score of each contest, the simple outcome of either winning or losing.
“The Second Scoreboard is a different and more important measure of our success. Here’s how we win on The Second Scoreboard . . .
“Preparation. How you practice and prepare is a measure of The Second Scoreboard. Scoring points on The Second Scoreboard means intentness in your practice, giving it your all, recognizing and correcting your mistakes and listening to your teammates and coaches. There will be many people more talented than you, but there is no excuse for someone to work harder than you.
“The Second Scoreboard means you are practicing and playing with integrity. When you win, you do it with humility and when you lose, you lose with dignity. You play the game the way it is supposed to be played: with honor for yourself, your school, and your opponents. You hold fast to your principles and beliefs.
“Winning on The Second Scoreboard means you have confidence. You believe in yourself. It is the knowledge that your preparation is fully complete and that you are ready for competition. Your confidence is what happens when you’ve done the hard work that entitles you to succeed. Each time you play and face adversity, you gain strength, courage and confidence.
“The Second Scoreboard means you are resilient and determined. You bounce back and focus after failures and letdowns. You bring your best effort to the next play, practice, and contest. You are determined to do your absolute best, even on the lowest, most frustrating of days.
“The Second Scoreboard means cooperation, enthusiasm, initiative, loyalty, friendship, respect, commitment and team spirit.
“The Second Scoreboard is a measure of your character.
“And lastly, The Second Scoreboard means you are respectful. You act in a way that demonstrates appreciation of the game. You take time to appreciate your surroundings and the chance you have been given to participate. You are respectful to yourself, your teammates, coaches, opponents, officials and fans. You are a sportsman or sportswomen of the highest standard with no compromise.
Fittingly, Fagan concluded his talk by paraphrasing Wooden’s personal definition of success: “And focus with the peace of mind you will obtain through the self-satisfaction in knowing you made the best effort you are capable of.”
The Second Scoreboard is first-rate.
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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com.
Check out my memoir WOODEN & ME: Life Lessons from My Two-Decade Friendship with the Legendary Coach and Humanitarian to Help “Make Each Day Your Masterpiece” and my essay collection “Strawberries in Wintertime: Essays on Life, Love, and Laughter” …
- Personalized signed copies are available at WoodyWoodburn.com