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Sports stars remember their journey to success
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Published: September 21, 2008
The values learned on the playing field -- how to set goals, endure, take criticism and risks, become team players, use our bodies, stay healthy and deal with stress -- prepare us for life. -- Donna de Varona
I usually travel with a little brown spiral note pad. It's small, easy to carry and comes in handy to record notes, thoughts and ideas. Usually, a column idea emerges from those notes, as it did last week, after I attended the Winston-Salem State University C.E. "Big House" Gaines Athletic Hall of Fame banquet. The evening was about more than personal recognition; it was about the journey, too.
Lined up outside the McNeil banquet hall, in the Anderson Center, before the program, were the inductees, along with their escorts -- their mothers, a son, a daughter, a wife and several previous hall of fame members. They were standing tall and dressed to impress. It was a special evening filled with pride and emotion. You could tell from the remarks shared during the program, the smiles on their faces and how they walked in when announced to the audience. Leonardo Horn looked as though he can still carry the pigskin, and Tory Woodbury could suit up and play quarterback today.
Being inducted into a hall of fame is a major accomplishment, a big deal. It doesn't get much better than joining an elite group of achievers and being recognized in front of family and friends. It's a proud, memorable moment, one that recognizes outstanding accomplishments on and off the court, field, track or mat.
While the spotlight shone on the honorees, their comments focused on the unseen inspiration for their success -- their family, friends, coaches and teammates. It is those stories that touch your heart, make you laugh and think about what is important.
Danny Boden, an All-CIAA wrestler, always gave his best, even as a young child, according to his mother. He learned to set goals and the value of discipline and hard work, and he reaped success as a result. A hall of fame wrestling career started long before the public recognition.
The same can be said about Winfred Mack, an All-CIAA football player, who had a flashback to Anderson High School, now the Anderson Center.
Here he was being recognized in a banquet hall in what had been a school he had fond memories of. He is carrying forward a legacy of high expectations and motivating others to succeed. He is one of many recognized who responded to the people who believed in them, and that belief and encouragement paid off.
It paid off for Jack Cameron, too, an All-CIAA and All-NAIA football player. Growing up in a small town, he expected to graduate from high school and get a good job. Before attending WSSU, he had never set foot on a college campus. "Everybody looked good," he said. His motivation for success: "I had people I had to answer to." That's accountability.
All of the inductees understand the meaning of sacrifice, especially Laurie Underwood, an All-CIAA softball player. She attended college on an academic scholarship and later was encouraged to try out for the team. Her mother, by her side this evening, had instilled in her the value of getting an education.
Underwood recalled the days when she didn't have the proper shoes and wore her brother's football cleats, several sizes too big, she added. She thanked her brother for his role in her success.
James Winbush, an All-CIAA football star and now a high-school principal, shared some advice he learned a long time ago. If you are the smartest person in your group, you need to get some new friends. In other words, keep challenging yourself, and associate with people who can help improve your game, make you better and inspire you.
"I am going to try to keep from crying," said inductee Tim Grant, as he paused during his comments. He played basketball for "Big House" Gaines and later coached alongside him. The man responsible for his attending WSSU, his high-school government teacher, George Wylie, was there to witness his induction. That was no small feat, as Grant had not seen him in years.
Grant's wife, Vicki, searched the Internet, made a few calls, located and arranged for Wylie to be present as a surprise. Grant remembers clearly Wylie telling him that the four years he would spend at WSSU would be the best four years of his life. And they were.
That's what the evening was about: love and relationships that last forever, deep emotion and a sense of gratitude, and the impact and influence of people who care.
■ Nigel Alston is a Dale Carnegie trainer and motivational speaker. He can be reached at nalston1@triad.rr.com.
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