One more high school sports season is now done. I woke up May 19 feeling like a big weight had been lifted from my shoulders. As a writer, I’ve learned that it’s best to put the past — even the most recent past — behind me and think about what lies ahead.
This past season had its memorable moments. Once again, the Española Valley boys basketball team created excitement as they marched toward the state tournament. But once again, hearts were broken when they got there. The controversy over their loss to Artesia still simmers. I have supported coach Richard Martinez, but even I had a queasy feeling when the Sundevils initiated a stalling tactic late in the game. Española was quicker and faster than Artesia, but much of that advantage was negated by the slowdown. When Artesia players came out after the game and said they were glad to see the Sundevils hold back, you knew something was wrong with those tactics.
This really was Española’s year, because I have no doubt they could have beaten Roswell in the championship game.
I support coach Martinez. He has done an unbelievable job of building the basketball program at Española and he has put in a tremendous amount of hard work doing it. The Sundevils are now a widely respected program throughout the state. But Martinez should learn from what happened at this year’s tournament. None of us have all the answers, and we’re never too wise to learn new things. Perhaps one lesson would be to avoid predictable behavior that your opponent can anticipate and prepare for. Be flexible enough to change strategies when one doesn’t seem to be working.
It’s important to remember that if one or two iffy shots go in, or if one or two calls by the officials go the other way, then everything I’ve just written becomes pointless. The Sundevils win and everybody is happy.
That’s the thing about sports, and that’s why it is always important to keep them in perspective. Sports are just games. We’ve placed too much importance on the outcome of playing games and not enough emphasis on the process of learning. Winning or losing a game is just a moment, but learning is a lifelong process.
That’s why I put the past behind me and look forward to the future. The outcome of the games is in the past, but the opportunity to learn more lies ahead. Sports are valuable because they can teach us how to learn new skills and acquire more knowledge. They can instill the process of learning in us.
But they’re also not the only way. I actually think the process of learning comes long before sports. Maybe it starts when you’re young, looking through books and asking your parents what this picture is and then learning the word for it. Maybe it starts when you see something in the sky and your mom or dad tells you it’s a bird, a cloud or a star. However it begins, it should never end.