One of my coaching idols growing up was Jimmy Valvano. I never saw him coach live, but the image of him running around the court after upsetting Houston was burned into my brain from a young age. Every highlight show and re-airing of that game I ever watched, Jim Valvano always had the biggest smile on his face of any coach I every watched. While I have watched and read about many better coaches, it was clear to me that very few if any coaches ever enjoyed what they did more then Jim Valvano.
These days Jimmy V is remembered most for his famous 1993 ESPY speech culminating in the formation of the Jimmy V foundation. Gravely ill from cancer and there to collect the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, it would serve as the last locker room speech of the great coach. He soaked up every moment and had them eating out the palm of his hands as he laughed off the absurdity of the blinking red light and told the story of the first game he ever coached. It was a truly iconic moment and one that I enjoyed viewing again Wednesday night when the great coach delivered his famous last public words "Don't Give Up. Don't Ever Give Up"
Those words are the motto of the Jimmy V foundation and serve as a great way to go about life. They apply not just to the fight against cancer, but to all aspects of ones life and dreams. I have come to learn these words are harder to live up to then they appear. As someone who has been disabled my entire life and struggle daily to overcome gambling addiction and depression I know how easy it can be to give up. Everyone has obstacles and adversity and often give up without even realizing it. Giving up doesn't mean dying, it means not chasing your dream as passionately and not approaching each day enthusiastically.
Not every day can be exciting and things don't always turn out the way we plan, but heeding Jimmy V's idea of trying to laugh, cry and think every day we can be even the most boring day tolerable. At a time in my life when I find my professional passion waning and continue to question where I am headed, Jimmy V picked me up again. Eighteen years after his death the great coach is still coaching. There are lots of wonderful local charities that help in the fight against cancer, but I give my money to the Jimmy V foundation this week for the coaching he continues to give me. He may not have the best record or most titles, but I will always consider Jimmy Valvano the greatest coach of all time.
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