Above The Line Article:
"A
Young Man's Impact"
By Erik Carlson
I have been
coaching at NBC basketball
camp (www.nbccamps.com) for
23 years. I now co-direct
2 sites; one week in Rocklin,
CA, and the other in the
Napa Valley. Basketball is
one of those amazing platforms
that can teach life skills.
This past week,
I have to tell you about
a young man of 15 years old
who won our camp MVP award.
He was not the most skilled
or developed player, but
he represented all that our
camp stands for, and impacted
an entire camp. His name
is Victor, but everyone called
him ‘Alaska’,
because he came all the way
to California from the small
town of North Pole Alaska.
2 years ago
he answered the door to discover
his father had been killed
in Iraq. At 15 years old,
he is now a brother and a
father figure to his baby
brother. He is a rock for
his mother. He was nothing
but encouragement to the
players in his league at
camp. As I got to know him,
he just oozed out of him
a beauty that made everyone
fall in love with him.
After
he shared his story with
me, as I was drying my tear-filled
eyes, I went over to visit
our coaches that were reviewing
the letters that our campers
wrote to their parents or
loved ones the night before.
We give a camp award to the
best letter; if the student
wishes to submit the letter,
they leave it unsealed. I
read Victor’s letter,
and it was written to his
late Father. He wanted to
tell him how much he loved
him, and that it was knowing
that he was in heaven looking
down that gave Victor strength
to live a pure life of inspiration.
Now my tears turned to an
open floodgate.
As I delivered
Victor’s MVP award
and letter award at the camp
closing ceremonies, tears
were in both parents and
students eyes alike. This
young man impacted lives
simply by living his own
life, despite his circumstances,
so selflessly, that he made
everyone else’s a little
more blessed. If you want
to read Victor’s letter,
go to our blog: nbcrocklin.blogspot.com and get a taste of pure love. |
