The basketball championship games are underway, a time of year we refer to as "March Madness". Madness it is, as almost every day for the rest of March there will be a basketball game being played. A time when it is not unusual for a team meant to win, gets beaten by a lower seed opponent. A time when teams come together at just the right moment by staying in step with one another, each and every minute and sometimes one precious second. The Nittany Lions experienced their first appearance in a decade and did not disappoint winning their opening game in convincing fashion and taking No. 2 Texas to the brink! Coach Shrewsbury did not just wave a magical wand over his team to have them playing strong during this part of the season. What we saw is something that had been cultivated over months of consistent effort, perseverance, learning, players open to the "coaching", and finally "becoming" what they have been working toward day after day. Yes, it is true, we become what we consistently do.
The women's golf team started out the month of March with their own "March Madness" having two tournaments scheduled over spring break, playing a 36/18 hole format. Which basically means they played one hundred and eight competitive holes of golf in four days!!! In between these two tournaments was a trip to the Players Championship to scope out how the pros get it done and a few days of friendly team competition.
The women's golf team has been working toward "becoming" a team of resilience, a team learning how to be a "team", in a sport that seems to separate itself from the very word. I would argue that it is more a team sport than even some sports that are on the field or court together. Golf takes more effort to create the "team" atmosphere that can sometimes come naturally to others. If each player bogeys a hole that "err" is multiplied four times and before you know it your team is down the leaderboard in an instant. Conversely, if all players make birdie at the same time, the team can easily run up the leaderboard. This was the case at our recent tournament at the University of North Florida. A "slow" first day left us at the bottom of the field 14th out of 16 teams. The players were able to share some of their frustrations and emotional roadblocks that kept them feeling like their teammates were not in step with each other. They lacked the emotional lift they wanted from their teammates. After some discussion they made it their mission to "pay attention" to others needs prior to, during and after the round.
Penn State came out with a mission the second day and within the first six holes we were eight under par and moving up the leaderboard quickly. There may or may not have been a side bet from the team, so if you do see me in a skort at our next event, you will know why! At the end of the day, we posted a 3-under team score and the low round of all 16 teams, climbing into sixth place. It was "madness", it was a true team effort. I am certain there were teams that were saying, "Where did Penn State come from?"
Every time we dig deep and rebound from a step back, we become that much stronger, and that much more resilient! It strengthens our resolve. Much like making a pass down low and just "knowing" your teammate will be there in the lane to finish the job!
After remaining in Jacksonville for a few days of practice, we headed up to Charleston, South Carolina for The Briars Creek invitational. A tournament known for its challenging course, beautiful southern landscape of marshes, and occasional brisk spring winds that whip through the indigenous moss trees. The real feel for our final round was a mere 40 degrees. The team started strong and posted a 36-hole total of one over par, to secure sixth place after day one. They closed the final round with two players under par and lifting the team into a tie for fourth among a talented group of 18 teams! Overall, we had 24 wins while on the road in March! That surely would get us to the "sweet sixteen"! It was a true team effort with different players stepping up shooting "red number" rounds! This is a team that is "becoming" what they have been practicing. They have learned what it means to be resilient, supportive of one another, and finding the belief that they can create their own March Madness. They can beat teams ranked higher than themselves. At the end of the day, it's not where you have been, it's where you are now! I like to remind them, "as long as there is another hole to be played, something extraordinary can happen! We have one more season tournament before we head to our Championship season. We will not be looking for our personal best or that miracle round, we will simply keep preparing ourselves to play and strive for championships! We will remain consistent to our routines, our preparation, our commitments to each other and "become" all we have practiced over several months! Our true potential shines when we do less "trying" and more "being". Staying interested in what lies in front of us. What lies in front of us now is the Scarlet Course at Ohio State next month!
