Many of you know that athletes hold a special place in the heart of Dr. Larry Ford. He himself is raising twin boys whose future aspirations include playing for the NFL.
At Hands to Guide You, we treat athletes because, on and off the court – stress occurs. In the off-season – life happens. Nurturing physical, mental, and emotional (good) health requires a delicate balance between varying situations and ever-evolving circumstances. Like that trey in basketball: focus, finesse, and fortitude come into play every day, no matter what.
Recently, a tragic story made the news in north Dallas where witnesses reportedly say ex-NFL CB Aqib Talib started a fight that led to their brother allegedly shooting the youth coach. This is an example of how quickly the mood escalates when emotion, anger, and ego hijack what should have been a celebratory youth sporting event. This, too, proves that when emotions are left “unchecked” and no one is addressing the severity of acting out, how things spiral out of control and, in some cases, become fatal.
We wanted to take this opportunity to stress once again how important it is, with respect to youth sports – to support the community, encourage our young people and teach them the rules of the game – along with the rules of life. When young athletes have mentors guiding them and leading by example, in turn, we see stories like this one: On August 25, Coach Milen Darby made his coaching debut as the Putnam City West defeated Western Heights 48-0 in their Week 0 Season Opener. Shyheim Johnson (@themachine_11), whose motto is “Control what you can pray about what you can’t,” was in the spotlight, taking the team to the win with “an ace” up his sleeve “for whatever is dealt!”
This is a gentle reminder – love the golden rule. Live the golden rule. It’s the only legacy we leave behind.
