Sean Glaze tells how his teammate Brian skipped free-throw practice, then missed a crucial shot in a game that cost the team the win. The story shows how one person's lack of preparation can sink everyone else's effort, whether in sports or at work.
Now the silence in the gym. You can actually hear Brian sigh as he stepped away from the free throw line. His teammates beside me on the sideline started to clap to encourage him. And I, I thought about practice. See, I'd spoken to Brian at least a dozen times that season about taking free throw drills more seriously. We practiced them every single day, but for some reason he didn't appreciate the free throw routine that we taught. Most days he just went through the motions. He didn't realize the impact that his actions might have on others. So Brian steps to the line for a second free throw. Gets the ball from the referee. Still down one, got one shot. Alright, come on, just go in. The second shot was a little bit flatter. So it actually hit the rim and then the backboard before it fell into our opponent's hands. They got the rebound, we had to foul, they made their free throws, and they won the game. I remember seeing Jonathan at half court, eyes full of tears, walked over to console him, but everybody on the team was devastated. 'Cause everything they had worked for from preseason all the way through those— everything had come down to the entire team, everybody depending on one person to do something we had emphasized every single day. But you know, it's not just basketball where people depend on each other, is it?
