`An experience that changed my life'
It was December 1956 and my mother dropped me off at the Sacred Heart gym for our first basketball game of the season. I went inside and sat with our team waiting for our coach. He came in with a big box of uniforms so we went into the locker room to suit up. The suits were new and shiny bright blue, but there was one big problem; there were 10 uniforms and 11 players. Being the only fifth grader on a fifth- and sixth-grade team, I was left out. I stood there watching everyone excited about their new suits and our first game, I couldn't take it. I walked out of the locker room, out of the gym, and the two miles home.
My mom wanted to know how I got home and questioned that decision. When my dad got home, I received Round 2 about my decision making process. Thank you very much!! Dad wanted to know what I was going to do. I told him I was going to go to the next practice and win myself a uniform. I got that uniform for not only the next game but for the rest of the season.
In the fourth quarter of our last game, Coach finally put me in. Honestly, I loved it. Having already played every down in football and every inning in baseball, but only four minutes of the last quarter of our last game in basketball, yet it was THE BEST!
I owe that coach a debt of gratitude because when he didn't give me a uniform, he ignited my competitive spirit. When he put me in the game, he introduced me to an experience that changed my life. Basketball became a passion t hat would dominate me and the lives of my family.
What may be unique about this is there were only two players from that team that played high school basketball. One of them was a skinny 10-year-old who didn't get a uniform on THAT Saturday. How about that. Thanks, Coach!
Mike de la Garza, former high school basketball coach at Mount St. Mary (1969-76) and Edmond Memorial (1976-98) Why do you love sports? Email us your response at NICsportsdesk@ oklahoman.com.