Giving Back

I used to think the three community service projects we had to do in college were while, worthy of our time, also a nuisance to plan and commit three or four precious weekend hours to (and believe me when you're a college athlete you cherish any free time you get).  I know, what a ridiculous thing, but when you're 20 you are unfortunately more self-focused than anything.  But looking back  now I wish we had done more!  Who would think that something as simple as putting a ball through a net could impact a community so positively.  While the adults are cheering for you, the kids are wishing to someday be like you.  I never truly realized how special that was until my senior year of college when our coach (current head coach of UAA, Ryan McCarthy) emphasized the importance of giving back by having us think back to when we were 8 years old and how awesome it was to have a visit from someone other than our mom.

I've found it doesn't matter what part of the world you are in either, if you do something that people pay money to come see, then you are a role model, and with that comes great responsibility.  After representing the club or organization you are apart of to the best of your ability, there is also an unspoken obligation to give back.  Here in Germany, about every three weeks we go visit a couple of schools and play basketball games with the kids.  Contrary to the U.S., many of the kids don't even know how many players are on the court at a time in basketball, so it's just as much of a promotional gig for the Panthers as it is for the sport in general.  Nonetheless, they are fascinated by "the Americans".  The fact that I come from Alaska usually gets a couple of "woaahhhh"'s, but when my roommate who is from New York is announced she gets "WOAAAHHHH!!!"'s.  What's so special about a state that is associated with a piece of fruit anyway, we have polar bears!

To conclude, the moral of my short story is: volunteer!  Giving back is a win-win for everyone.  The recipients get the result of someone's unselfishness, which could be anything from soup to reading to the elderly to promoting sports and activity in school.  The giver gets the priceless gift of gratitude, which for me anyway, puts a smile on my face the rest of the day.