Hoop Dreams – 12 Years Later

It was a crisp and beautiful Sunday in Tokyo as my family and I were walking to the nearby basketball courts. Our only plan this January morning was to casually shoot some baskets together. Not long after arriving at the two action-packed courts, a much younger man asked me to play on his team. I was in my running shoes, which wasn't ideal for basketball, although I've played in non-traditional footwear plenty of times.

Having purposely avoided 5 on 5 basketball in the past 12 years, I was hesitant, but for the last six months, I've been shooting baskets often, as well as teaching my son to play. I also participated in a friendly 1 on 1 competition a few years ago.....and what I remember most from back then was how painful my left knee was for weeks after.

Despite being in good shape during our neighborhood 1 on 1, along with the knee not hurting before or during the games, I didn't anticipate having any post-game issues with pain - a rarity in my basketball life. Momentarily forgetting that I was approaching 50 and not 30, I shouldn't have been surprised at how my knee felt.   

With the aforementioned thoughts swirling in my head, and before the rational part of my brain could deter me, my attention was diverted by my wife and daughter - both encouraging me to play. I quickly said yes.

Most of the players were 19-34 years in age, although I could instantly see that I (52) was in as good or better shape than most of them, which provided a warm sense of comfort. My real concern was whether they could play the game, both fundamentally and skill-wise. As long as I’m fit, I will always feel comfortable on any non-professional court.

I was the second oldest player – the elder being a 68 year old Japanese man who looked fantastic, was spry and had a good shot. I had 4 Phillipino men on my team. To my pleasant surprise, this foursome of friends had strong fundamentals, could shoot well and were aggressive. After the long layoff, I was a bit rusty at the start, yet found a solid rhythm mid-way through the first game. Their chemistry was magnificent and I simply blended in, as they knew how to utilize me effectively and when needed. We easily won 3 consecutive games.

Last year, I read about the desire of a high-level basketball official wanting to improve the skill and coaching in Japan in order to get closer to the level of the Philippines. At least on this day, it was easy to see why, as my Phillipino teammates were clearly superior to any Japanese players on the court. 

I could have played another three games, although I knew that the almost 1 hour of running, jumping, stopping, reaching, passing and shooting would take its toll on my body in one form or another. That same knee was hurting once again, although not remotely close to the previous pain, which I was happy about. My left shoulder was also aching from all the reaching for rebounds. Being the tallest on either team meant I got lots of inside shot attempts, thus more shoulder and arm movement than I’ve had in a long time.

The pain was only temporary though and went away within a week. The joy was immense and made my soul shine. I never expected to play 5 on 5 that day and couldn’t have imagined playing with such a cohesive group. Therein lies the magic of what life can provide when we step out of our comfort zone.

I was adamant in not playing 5 on 5 basketball ever again due primarily to the risk of injury. I had seen far too many young and middle-aged men with serious injuries due to their overly aggressive and weekend warrior basketball mentality. 

What made me change my mind and throw caution to the wind?

I believe it was a conversation my doctor and I had in New York City in the late 1990’s when I temporarily stopped playing because I didn’t want to strain an ACL or tear an Achilles; basically fearful of my quality of life being disrupted. I told her about injuries I had seen or heard of, hoping she might tell me that playing at 34 isn’t worth the risk of getting hurt.  She knew I played Division 1 basketball in college and hadn’t been seriously injured since my sophomore year of High School. We had this short interaction.

Doctor: “Did any of those people who got injured play basketball at your level?" 

George: Smiling, I said “no”.

What my doctor knew then and what I wasn’t thinking about is that my years of intense competition without injury, gave me an advantage in knowing how to play wisely and safely, particularly as I got older.  In addition, I knew my body well as it pertained to what to do and what not to do on the basketball court. As I thought about those friends who played basketball at or near my level, there was rarely a serious injury after college. 

She was a compassionate and caring doctor, yet the one thing I appreciated about her the most is that she never failed to tell me what I needed to hear. After giving me the motivation to start playing almost two decades ago, I could hear her words echoing when I decided to get back onto the court that Sunday; a court which played a crucial role in my development, confidence and ability to flourish.

That hour was sheer delight. My only focus was being a good teammate, enjoying the moment and battling to win. Each back pick, high five, 3 point shot, layup, block, fast break and victory was a thing of beauty. It was ‘flow’ at its finest.

I love this game.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

A Beautiful Sunday for Basketball in Tokyo

“Growing Up, You Were Someone I Always Idolized”

From the moment I became proficient at basketball (age 11), fortune smiled on me time after time; culminating in one of my proudest accomplishments – a Division 1 College Basketball Scholarship.

Prior to my freshman year at the University of Vermont, I was usually the best player on the court, which came with many perks including but not limited to adoration, kindness, temptation and more attention that any young person needs or deserves. 

I was grateful for those years without peer pressure, although primarily because they allowed me the freedom to concentrate solely on my education and to become a great high school basketball player. I never took the celebrity and ‘star player’ status that seriously, and didn’t allow it to make me arrogant or change my values; something I must thank my parents (especially my mother) for the most as they were 100% focused on making sure their only son became a good man. 

During my comfortable teenage years, I remember numerous youth (boys and girls) coming up to me in a congratulatory way, to get an autograph or simply to say hello, yet I never got to know any of them in a meaningful way. My only focus was improving my game, being a good son/student and obtaining a college scholarship. I doubt that I was even capable of coming out of the ‘bubble of focus’ I created for myself.

At that time, I rarely thought about the impact my basketball success could be having on those watching and/or being inspired by my time on the court. I wish I had.  Early in 2016, I received these touching words from an alumnus of our High School – Central Dauphin East:

 

"WOW! I am impressed and love what you’re doing. I have to be honest with you. Growing up you were someone I always idolized. So you helped me strive to become a better player and in turn opened many doors for me in life. So I want to say thank you!"

Below are other parts of his message to me:

By playing ball I was fortunate to have coaches take an added interest in me as a person. Coach Lavelle was one of them. He was instrumental in molding me and seeing the potential in me. Not allowing me to be quiet and demanding more from me. I was saddened when I heard of his passing and even more so because I found out after it happened. I was unable to pay my respects to him.
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I to someday want to be able to give back and I feel I am doing that by counseling students who have extra obstacles. I want to be a positive role model and hopefully have an impact on someone like coaches have had on me.

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Steve is also one of them guys who took an interest in me and other kids around. We learned more than just basketball from him.

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His message warmed my heart….and still does. I wish he would have conveyed his feelings when they first occurred, although I do realize that having the courage to do that to someone you idolize isn’t easy. I’m elated that he felt comfortable doing it last year.

I was thrilled to hear that two of my mentors and coaches (Steve Freeland and Paul Lavelle) had a positive impact on him as well. I wouldn’t be close to the man I am and the player I was without the wise guidance and love from Steve and Paul.

A Coach's Advice (words I needed to hear) 

2 of my Mentors - Their Profound Impact

The lessons learned from this positive interaction are best described in what I would tell my 18 year old self today:

• Don’t be so singularly focused on your goals/dreams that you lose sight of others around you and/or aren’t aware of the youth who interact with you. That focus allowed me to succeed at the highest high school level, but I could have been impacted even more positively as a more engaged 18 year old.

• If you idolize someone, don’t be afraid to make it known to that person, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. There were people I looked up to also as a teenager, yet never told them about it. I got wiser in my older years and it served me well when I ended up standing next to a man who inspired me on the court – Magic Johnson. After meeting him in 2002, I let him know immediately how much he meant to me and we had a beautiful conversation.

A 'Magic' Moment

The man who sent those aforementioned words is now in his 40’s and has made his own positive way in the world; currently working with youth and running his own business. Hearing briefly about his life has been encouraging.

I wrote to him with the hope of getting together when I make it back to the USA this year. I can’t wait to share a coffee and/or lunch and listen to his story more in depth.

We both share the belief that mentoring, inspiring or enhancing our youth must be high on the priority list. It’s been a mission of his with his day job and a passion of mine with my basketball program, which is going on year 13. 

American Basketball Coach in Sweden - Camp Lidingö, Year 6  

Many young people fall through the cracks when they don’t have a positive influence in their life or a person that will tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to her. We all need to play a part in connecting the dots (youth to mentor or vise versa), in order to give our young people the best possible chance for a productive and meaningful life.

We were both fortunate to have the support we needed growing up. It’s now our job to make sure we can enhance the lives for as many youth as possible and show/give them the tools they will need to strive for their dreams.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

Gswede in action against Harrisburg High School - 1982

The Climb to the Top (Mount Fuji)

Knowing that over 230,000 people (2015 statistic) climb Mount Fuji every year, I had no doubt that I would complete it, especially with no aches or pains and my college basketball background. I expected challenges though as I’ve never taken on a mountain anywhere near this magnitude.

I had the ultimate respect for the task ahead.

On the first Saturday in September, we drove from Tokyo at 4am and didn’t start the ascent until 7am, as it was crowded and took more time than we planned to park and arrive at the base. Even though I was going on 4 hours of sleep, my excitement and adrenaline were high.

One member of our group of 6 was an experienced climber (our guide) and had done Fuji 8 times. That was comforting as he knew all the twists, turns and obstacles to come. He kept singing the praises of the weather throughout, as it was spectacular and crisp, with the sun often beaming brilliantly.

I was thrilled for our pleasant climate as I cannot imagine doing this day in the rain. A friend living in Tokyo had completed the climb at night (a week earlier) and it poured for hours; one we considered doing with him until we saw the dreary forecast. I was impressed to hear how he endured in those damp and dark conditions. His story is below.

Climbing Mount Fuji

Since I’ve never been strong on hills (running or biking), I expected significant irritation at some point on the steep and maze-like angles to the top…..and they did not disappoint. It seemed as if those zig zag paths filled with gravel would never end, often leaving me with that feeling of a snail’s pace. I was thankful for the rest breaks at each station, which never failed to be welcoming.

Midway through the climb, my thighs began to tremble in the form of cramps; something I’ve only had once (mildly) and that was at the end of the 2006 Stockholm Marathon, which gave me no real basis for how painful it could be. Fortunately, after chatting with some climbers, several were having the same type of discomfort, which instantly put me at ease, as I knew this was a mountain issue and not a George issue.

The key for me was rarely stopping while on the climbing trail. It served me well during the aforementioned marathon, as I never stopped running, with the exception of the water breaks where I kept walking at a strong pace - great advice I received as a first time marathoner. On the mountain, I stopped a few times because of the cramping but was able to keep moving forward whenever tiredness tried to overtake me.

Meanwhile, my amazing wife Matilda was like Spiderman up the mountain. Despite having knees and ankles that weren’t 100%, she stayed almost stride for stride with our guide. She initially thought about not doing Fuji with us, but I’m glad she did. I was inspired watching her crush it! There wasn’t one point where I considered keeping up with or trying to catching her. 

Happiness at the Top

Only one person in our group had a mighty struggle and I thought she might not make it, as the altitude was clearly affecting her performance. She was in shape, but the 3776 m/ 12,388 feet made it a grueling ride for her during the heart of the ascent.  I looked up to the peak several times while climbing and became light-headed, so I made sure to keep those glances to a minimum.

The most enjoyable parts for me were the various rock formations we had to scale. I found that peaceful compared to the gravel walking paths. On a stretch of rocks not far from the top, there was a 75 year old man in front of me and a woman with a toddler on her back behind me. The man had walking sticks and maintained a slow, yet powerful pace. Everyone seemed to be amazed at what the woman was doing. I was in awe of both.

Another memorable moment came on the back end of the climb, as a wave of gratefulness filled up my soul. The fine weather and stunning cloud formations, combined with the beauty surrounding me, along with the calm of being an extension of this iconic mountain was soothing. When I knew the end was near, the relief and elation were profound.

One mistake I made was not drinking enough water as the sweat and physical work was elevated because of the sun. It didn’t feel particularly warm, although my friends noticed that I could use more fluids so I kept drinking and drinking, yet could never catch up to where I needed to be. I lost 2 kilo’s.

A good tip I received beforehand was keeping everything in plastic bags or having a waterproof bag - since weather can change quickly. I was prepared, but barely used anything in the bag. There was a light sprinkle at one point, but only a brief one. In addition, I bought new hiking books and those were invaluable as I saw many who seemed uncomfortable with sneakers or old footwear.

Going down wasn't fun in any way for me and I wouldn’t want to do it again, with the abundance of slipping/sliding and gravel; something first timers should know about as being careful is crucial. We witnessed people falling and several ankle twists on the descent. The entire way down I wondered why they didn’t’ have any easier routes (i.e. Cable Car) as I consider the descent more of an experience of not getting hurt and less of a worthwhile challenge.

Overall, it was a tremendous experience, along with a great sense of fulfillment. To have shared it with a few of our closest friends enhanced our day and satisfaction. For those expats fortunate enough to be living in Japan, I would encourage everyone to put this on their ‘to do’ list.

 

Matilda reached the summit in 5 hours and 15 minutes...5:45 for me. Everyone was back to the base in less than 3 hours. After our early bird start, we arrived home at 10pm exhausted – a 16 hour day.

I’ve never slept so well.

Matilda Going Down Mount Fuji

A Voice from the Heartland and Trump’s ‘Art of the Sale’

I should have gone with my gut.

Long before the Access Hollywood audio tape came to light, two American friends were convinced that Trump wouldn’t win the Presidency due to his inexperience, unconventional methods, divisiveness and often blunt rhetoric. During our conversations, they couldn’t even envision the possibility.

I firmly disagreed. 

As a salesman most of my career, I had seen the media dominance and showmanship that had earned Trump the Republican nomination rather easily and knew early on that his strong selling skills and powers of persuasion could win him the White House. I had seen that same Trump at Manhattan parties in the 1990’s, on TV and in his book ‘The Art of the Deal’.

One friend proposed an immediate bet (he took Clinton) and I accepted. I had forgotten about our wager until he wrote this on November 9, 2016.

“You called it correctly. I owe you dinner”

After the aforementioned audio tape, I had a change of heart about my earlier prediction, as I was sure Trump’s awful words about women would doom him, despite previous missteps that had not. The tape would have spelled disaster for any standard politician, although the mistake many of us kept making about Trump is thinking that he would be held to the same standard of accountability.

Not surprisingly, Trump absorbed the negative blow, pivoted (he made the story about Bill Clinton’s past indiscretions) and moved back to the message and progression of the biggest sale of his life.

I wrote these words before the 2^nd debate:

"The main job of an effective salesperson is to close the sale, in this case winning the election. Often that takes adapting or changing one's style in order to progress or enhance the sale. Trump has not shown the willingness or discipline to reach beyond his comfort zone of supporters, thus making it tough to attract new voters. Great salespeople do what it takes and rarely miss a golden sales opportunity, especially when the light is shining brightly and the pressure is on."

(Trump - The Lost 'Art of the Sale')

Questioning Trump’s past rhetoric or future actions is valid and should be done, but we ought to be careful the next time we doubt his ability to sell a policy, program or his vision, as few can equal his talent in that regard. Trump knew exactly what he was doing in the General Election, with most believing he had little to no chance of winning. With limited political experience, less political funds and a boatload of consistent controversy, he won the most influential job in the world - almost solely on being persuasive and selling himself. 

Trump often avoided the facts (usually saying what he wanted), which worked for him, as he probably knew his supporters wouldn’t care. Yes, he had strong themes that resonated (Build the Wall, Repeal Obamacare, etc), but the crucial selling point was convincing Americans (particularly the white working class) that he heard them, understood their issues and would take care of their problems.

He was laser focused primarily on his core supporters (base); something I thought was a detriment yet turned out to be the perfect strategy. Keep in mind that a good portion of his base also voted for Obama previously.

A childhood friend had been telling me about the Trump phenomenon from our home state of Pennsylvania (PA) since last summer. He lives on the rural outskirts of a diverse city and saw early on that Trump’s message was resonating. My friend is also one of the most well-rounded, caring and giving individuals I know.

Here’s a small taste of his thinking and online statements to me:

September 2016

• Sorry but you are really out of touch with middle class America. Wait until the election….a Ronald Reagan moment. I will thank God and so should you for Trump saving our country.
• That was brilliant by the way…to get every news network to cover him talking about decorated veterans and then at the end say…well since Hillary started this (birther conspiracy) in 2008…I will end it. Very smart man.
• The media wants people to believe he is losing but reality is the silent majority is Trump…Go Trump.
• But it will be a big disappointment when TRUMP wins and all the media and polls can’t figure out how it happened.
• All my college educated and non-college educated people like Trump……these are family and friends along with those I don’t even know well.

 October 2016

• I think you are wrong on this one too. You are underestimating his (Trump) power and how many people dislike the current direction with the Dems.
• I see a movement happening now. The locker room talk is old and got no traction. Everyone is stepping up and he is improving…Go Trump.
• I think Trump is bullet proof like Ironman.
• It won’t matter. TRUMP never loses at anything. He’s a winner. He’s going to make America win again.
• There is a bigger silent majority than I even thought. Many many people. I just asked a few friends and again they know no one voting for her.

 November 2016

• I was driving my kids to school today. I counted over 80 Trump signs and 3 Clinton ones. In about 4 or 5 miles.
• You know that feeling you had in the 7^th Inning (Cubs/Indians) that was bad. You have that no? I have the feeling it’s going very well. Here’s the big difference. He’s connecting with people. People trust him at least more than Hillary. She lost her mojo and her team doesn’t know what to do. They have thrown all the mud and nothing stuck to him. All the mud stuck to her and there is more and more. This game cannot be over soon enough for her. The longer is goes, the worse it gets for Clinton. (November 6, 2016)
• 25,000 last night for Trump. Lines a miles long and 7,000 people outside. There is passion like people had for Obama in 2008. That’s why he will win. Clinton has none of that.

Although I visited Pennsylvania twice in the last year, I haven’t lived in America in over a decade, thus giving me limited awareness of the Trump appeal.  Despite trusting that my friend’s voice and opinion made perfect sense, I couldn’t bring myself to think that he would have enough support to beat Hillary Clinton; especially with an Electoral College that highly favored the Democrats.

Another missed factor for Trump was the ‘hidden’ voter; fed up and frustrated citizens my PA friend had been telling me about for months, as several were in his own family. These were folks who planned to vote for Trump yet didn’t show any kind of public support for fear of being labeled a racist or portrayed in a negative light. I can personally attest to these silent voices, as I was in a roomful of kind and fun people (20-30+) on several occasions during my PA vacation and found out later that 95% of them were Trump supporters. Reflecting back on my interactions/discussions with many, the name Trump rarely crept into the conversation.

My initial gut feeling was right and my PA friend’s insight couldn’t have been more precise. In addition, he never faltered in his belief that Trump was going to win. 

One thing we can no longer do is underestimate Donald J. Trump. Most did and he pulled off one of the greatest upsets in political history. The media, polls, Democrats and many Republicans were all wrong. Sometimes I wonder if Trump was the only one who believed he could prevail. He had some help though with Clinton’s failed strategy – one that appeared to be ‘Let Trump be Trump’ in order to propel her to The White House.

Second, his hustle was far more substantial than hers. Have you ever seen a 70 year old with so much energy for 18 months; doing 5-6 events a day in the home stretch of the election? Along with having his hand on the pulse of America, he also outworked Clinton. The most successful people in my inner circle are those who ‘grind’ daily. Trump showed that he could grind with the best of them. 

Finally, the ‘Reality TV Star’ words and/or actions (Sizzle) Trump provided throughout the battle made Clinton’s traditional campaign speeches and standard operational format look ho hum, although he was helped significantly by a media that made him 'must see TV'. 

One lesson we can learn about this election is that ‘Sizzle’ sells. Bill Clinton, Obama and Reagan had it and they all won. Not everyone has the personality, media savvy and confidence of Trump, although putting on a show or standing out can be a good way to enhance one’s popularity and/or image, particularly for those in the sales profession. I would encourage doing it in a positive and collaborative way, although one has to find and have faith in their own style.

Another lesson is that hard work does pay off. Trump was in the heart of America more than Clinton and held more events and rallies. In my opinion, voters noticed that effort which I believe was a crucial part of his success. My PA friend kept echoing this same sentiment.

The final and most important lesson is that one must ‘close the deal’, which in Trumps case meant winning the election. Having confidence about and focusing on the result of whatever you are doing is crucial. During the campaign, Trump talked about closing deals throughout his life again and again, but there were those who laughed and thought ‘yea right”. He certainly got the last laugh.

I’m optimistic in general, along with hopeful that Trump’s 4 or 8 year run as President will be fruitful for most Americans. Our nation is more divided than ever though and Trump will need to be instrumental in helping to bridge that gap if he is too fully succeed. Everyone won’t get what they want from his time in office, but the results should and will be looked at closely, particularly since the Republicans have control of the House and Senate.

President-Elect Trump is undoubtedly a great salesman. Whether he can be a great President remains to be seen. That journey begins on January 20, 2017.

(I Encourage You To Read Both)