J Mac- Greatest Basketball Story Ever

You have probably seen this, but it is worth seeing over and over....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tui8EOdv_VU


From J Mac---

Making Dreams Come True
By: Jason “JMAC” Mcelwain
 
My topic of discussion is sometimes dreams do come true on the basketball court. I believe that every time you step on the court there are 2 G'S. 1) GIVE IT YOUR ALL 2) NEVER GIVE UP. The number 1 reason why I coach is to help basketball players not only push themselves and motivate them to succeed on the court but as people in life too. My message to young people on the court is write down your goals and put them on your wall and look at them every day and ask yourself everyday why am I a basketball player?  Why am I living on this earth? What can I do to help this team win a championship?


I believe that championships are won in the offseason. What I tell young basketball players is to shoot 500 to a 1000 shots a day and lift in the weight room 5 times a week with 100 percent effort at game speed and when you shoot, there are 3 straight lines that you should say, knee over toe, elbow over knee, thumb in front of 4 fingers. To be successful on the court there are 3 things it takes be a team player. 1) Only care about the team winning, not yourself 2) Play as hard as you can with 100 percent effort 3) Be a high character guy. The only things that you can control are your effort, your attitude and your mental toughness.

Here is my workout I did everyday to help my team, which was my number 1 goal to win a section five championship rather than scoring 20 points in 2006.  Every time you step on the court shoot 5 shots from 5 feet from the rim 1 arm behind your back then up 5 steps then shoot 10 free throws to start your work out. Then shoot 15 elbow to elbow jumpers touching the top of the key, then 20 3s around the arc then 10 3s with a jab step.  10 shot fakes then 2 in a row from 15 feet at all 7 spots.  2 from each spot around the horn from 3. Then 5 regular layups, 5 opposite hand and opposite foot.  5 rondos, 5 euro steps, 5 coming to a jump stop. Shot fakes shoot 20 then 1 foot mikens 20, 2 foot mikens 10, reverse mikens 10, drop steps 10, block to block bank shots 10, dribble penetrate in floaters off 1 foot and 2 foot runners in the lane then I did ball handling stuff doing 20 behind your waist, 20 behind your head, 20 figure 8s, 20 crossovers, 20 pound 2 times and 1 hand cross over dribbles.

My message to young kids is to only listen to people who care about you. Ignore people that don’t care about you. Your priorities should be 1) God 2) Family 3) School 4) Basketball. What frustrates me as a coach is that after a win you walk into a post game meeting with your team and you see a frown on a kids face because he didn’t get his minutes. What we preach hear at Greece Athena High School is to be a team guy that puts the team above you.

Sometimes dreams do come true, as Magic would say “If you don’t dream it, you can’t become it.” Don’t ever let success take you because if you let success get to your head and stop working hard, success stops coming. Find new goals to accomplish in your lifetime. Here’s a quote that I want to say,  “It takes talent to get to the top but you need character and work ethic to stay.” Every time you leave the court make your last shot so you see the ball go through the net and ask yourself did I give it my best effort today? You never want yourself saying I’ll do better tomorrow. I will close with this, remember like Magic says “If you don’t dream it, you can’t become it.” Never give up on your dreams. Thank you very much.  Jmac