By now, many folks have seen and heard about the game winning shot that Kris Jenkins made last night to give Villanova its first national championship since 1985. It was a thing of beauty. He looked as "cool as the other side of the pillow" as he effortlessly and calmly connected on a 3-pointer at the buzzer that sent thousands of folks into a frenzy!
Earlier in the tournament, if you were watching, we learned that Kris Jenkins was taught to shoot a basketball by his mama. That's right...one of the best shooters in college basketball today learned his shooting stroke from his mama. It made me think once again just how important and special mamas are. They do so many "behind the scenes" things for us all that is just unbelievable. Mamas are typically unselfish and the most committed of all human species. Many of them will do almost anything to help their children be successful.
I remember back when I was 11 years old in a single parent household with my own mama. I was preparing for the city wide All-Star Baseball Tournament, which was a big deal in Ocala, Florida where baseball is king. I had played in it the year before and didn't do very well. After a very strong regular season, I simply flopped as a pitcher in the tournament as I succumbed to the pressure, the different surroundings of different ball parks we had to play at, etc.
To help me better prepare for the upcoming tournament now that I was 11; my mama took me to Clyatt Park where that year's tournament was. She made me pitch off the mound there to get familiar with it. She made me take in the surroundings in the week leading up to the tournament so I wouldn't be rattled. I ran the bases. I fielded ground balls. I took batting practice there. She made me feel confident about playing there.
We were there one hot July afternoon for my final "tune up" before the tournament started and I was again pitching off the mound. It gets so hot in Florida in July that even the frogs sweat and this was one of those kind of days. My mama decided to step into the batter's box to make it look more "game like." One of my strengths as a pitcher all the way through high school was that I typically had great control and could throw strike after strike. Well, not on this day. My second pitch broke my mama's arm. I couldn't believe it. I was crushed. We went to the hospital and my mama got a cast. I felt horrible but my mama kept reassuring me she was fine, it was no big deal, and we need to get ready to play some baseball.
Fast forward a few days later to the All-Star Tournament. I took the mound at Clyatt Park knowing I could throw strikes (unless my mama got back in the batter's box) as I was familiar with the new surroundings and had confidence that my mama had instilled in me over and over and over. We won game one. We won game two. We lost game three. We won game four. We lost the championship in gave five. My mama wore that dadgum arm cast the entire time in 100+ degree weather. There was no "storybook ending" that year BUT due to my mama's continued support and love, the next year Fisher Park, the only little league baseball group in Ocala that had never won the City Tournament, won it all! It was one of the best memories of my childhood.
I want all mamas that might read this to know that often it is the little things you do that get remembered the most. It is quite often the little things you say, the little gestures you make that mean the most. Sometimes, all we need is our mama to believe in us. Sometimes, all we need is our mama to help us gain confidence. Many times, mamas give up on their happiness to ensure the happiness of those they love. I know my mama did this on a regular occasion...talk about selfless!
I've blogged before about how special mamas are and I will probably do so again in May near Mother's Day. I'm lucky to know so many fantastic mamas. They are an inspiration to me because I see the numerous sacrifices they make for their families. My own wife is a great example. She keeps our family in sync. She provides our four kids with the support and love they need to keep going. She believes in them more than they believe in themselves in many instances. Mamas make the world go around!
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