Amplify that Gift
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| Fresh off the plane and ready to get to work! |
Three years ago this month, I had the chance to work with one of my favorite teams of all time,
Team Amplify. A group of eight students from Simpson University came to France and made an impact still felt today. Basketball is a tool and these guys went to work.
As a coach, I always look back fondly on the teams and players I have had the opportunity to work with. Team Amplify is on a different level for me, maybe because it was only two weeks and not all basketball, but I think it's because of the group of men that made up that team. All have achieved a lot since coming to France, graduating from college, a few are married and a couple more are getting close.
A Butcher, two Kyle's, two Ian's, a Nick, a Rob and a Jordan brought their eagerness, prayers, and talents to France in May of 2012; the lives they touched were forever changed.
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| Always ready to play some hoops! |
I love coaching basketball; the competition, strategy, speed, power, and psychology have gripped me for over fifteen years now. This team added a special dose of selflessness to the mix. If you watch the NBA right now, you can watch LeBron and see that his natural gift is passing the ball. His unselfishness was seen as a weakness for a long time, but that opinion was way off. Having a team of givers creates a much more enjoyable team atmosphere and increases its chances of being successful. Team Amplify came to France with the mindset of giving and succeeded.
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| The Kyle's always do the heavy lifting |
To this day, three years later, anytime I see people that this team interacted with they always bring up the players. "How is Nick doing?" "Are those guys coming back? They were awesome!" "That group of guys made our move sooooo much easier!"
These are the type of things I hear from the people Team Amplify gave themselves to for two weeks. Few comments bring up the basketball games they played; most bring up their attitudes, smiles, and efforts to help make lives better. A team of givers made life more enjoyable for the people they came into contact with. None more than the guy "in charge:" me.
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| Get to work, Nick! You too, Ian! |
I didn't get to coach basketball this year for the first time in fifteen years. Getting to Skype with Kyle, FaceTime with Rob, smile with pride as two of them got married, Ian graduate with honors - all helped get me through this year. Basketball was their tool, giving was their gift, and the success is still felt today. On behalf of the people here and myself, Thank you again, Team Amplify!
