Learning From the Athletes

In a BYU Devotional speech on May 23, 1995 Larry Echohawk, a professor of law at BYU, told of a great lesson he learned from LaVell Edwards, his BYU football coach. Edwards would tell the team, "The most important thing to success is not the will to win. The most important thing to success is the will to prepare." Edwards taught his football players that they needed to work as hard as they could Monday through Friday so that when they showed up in uniform on Saturday they would be prepared to win.

Even though Ronnie Price, a Utah Jazz player, wasn't one of Edwards's BYU football players, he, too, has learned that lesson. He is Jazz's third-string point guard, who averages less than four minutes a game. Even though his minutes on the court aren't many, when he's out there he gives it all he has and has given the Jazz a needed boost more than once. "It's not about impressing anyone. It's about being a professional and having to my job when my name is called."

Price added, "...watching the game never hurts, especially when you're watching good players. I'm fortunate to have an All-Star point guard in front of me and also a great leadership guy also in front of me with Jason Hart and Deron Williams."

There are some important lessons to learn from Edwards and Price when we're feeling underused and underwhelmed:

• Continue to prepare for the "game," so that when the opportunity presents itself to "play," we'll be prepared to make a contribution.
• When we are called upon to make a contribution, give it the best we can no matter how small the contribution appears to be. "Give what you have--it may be more than you dare to think."
• Don't stand around waiting for accolades. I have a favorite quote that says, "Give the best you have and then go on without waiting for a response." If we stand around waiting for a response, we miss opportunities to give more.
• Find good "players" to watch and learn from them.