In the book "Toughness- Developing True Strength on and off the court", Jay Bilas writes about how a basketball player can develop toughness. He discusses how toughness can help him become a member of a winning team. The book embodies the essence of being a good and successful basketball player. It expresses the importance of mental toughness and the strength of character that is needed to be a successful athlete.
In the introduction, Bilas discusses toughness in general terms. He mentions that he values the toughness that he sees in others in their everyday life. He gives credit to his parents and other adults that he saw toughness in when he was growing up. He says that when he played for Coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke that he really began to appreciate toughness.
He says the word "toughness" is often used in society and sports today. He cites examples of false bravado showed by athletes who taunt their opponent after a basket as examples of what toughness is not. He says that some broadcasters and commentators misuse the word often.
Bilas refers to an article that he wrote in 2009 which gave examples of toughness for college basketball players. Bilas says "The response to my article on toughness was overwhelming and humbling. Hundreds of coaches, players, parents, teachers and administrators from all over the world, from the NBA to the military to the elementary school level, called and wrote me to tell me they had posted the article in their locker room, handed it out to their teams, studied it in class or gone over it in detail with their players, teams, families or coworkers." Clearly, Bilas' article made a difference in many lives- especially the lives of those who love basketball. The article gives good examples of how to be a tough basketball player. It is easy to see why it became so popular.
Bilas also mentions a game that his son played in. Bilas said that his son's high school team was just as talented as the team that they played against. However, the other team won the game by 20 points. Bilas said that the other team was tougher and played better. They did the things that they needed to do to win. Often in sports, the team that does what is necessary throughout the game, is the team that wins. When two evenly matched teams play against each other, the team that is mentally tougher and more focused on the fundamentals often wins.
Bilas says that he always thought he was tough. He was tough up to a point, but he needed to get tougher. Over time, Bilas developed a more precise definition of toughness. Bilas says "Toughness isn't physical. It has nothing to do with size, physical strength or athleticism. It's an intangible, an attitude, a philosophy. Some people may be born with the aptitude to be tougher than others, but I believe that true toughness is a skill that an be developed and improved in everyone." Bilas believes that toughness is a skill that can be cultivated in all people. His hopeful and optimistic attitude is good news for all of us.
Bilas refers to the dictionary definition of toughness. Bilas says "The most common definition of 'tough' is being able to withstand great force without tearing or breaking. In other words, something that is tough is strong and resilient." Strength and resiliency is necessary for any undertaking. It is an important part of human development. Toughness is available to and important for everyone.
Bilas says that his parents are the foundation of his toughness. Bilas says "Whatever toughness I have been able to muster as an athlete, attorney, broadcaster and person, I learned first by the example set by my mother and father." Bilas gratitude towards his parents is something all of us probably have to our parents as well. We have learned many things from our parents. We have probably learned toughness from them. I have learned many good things from my parents, including toughness and strength. Like Bilas, we probably admire our parents for their toughness and courage.
Chapter one is entitled "Trust." Bilas says "It requires a certain toughness to trust in others and to trust and believe in yourself." Bilas points out that trust and truth go together. He cites coach Mike Kryzewski as an honest person who inspires trust. Bilas chose to play for Duke in part because he wanted to play for Coach Kryzewski, who is known in college basketball as "Coach K." Bilas says "Coach K was the first coach I truly trusted. I had a few good coaches growing up, but once I became a sophomore in high school, I felt that I couldn't trust the coaches I played for. They were not bad people, but they did not foster a culture of trust. When it came time for me to go to college, it was the first time in my life that I got to choose the coach I played for. And playing for a coach I could trust was my most important consideration." Bilas soon realized that he could trust Coach K. Bilas found Coach K to be an honest person, which helped Bilas to trust him.
Bilas says that "trust" has different elements to it. Bilas mentions the importance of having a belief in a common goal, believing in oneself and having belief when we face adversity. Bilas cites different examples to support the importance of these things.
Chapter two deals with "preparation." Bilas says "One of the things I take pride in is being prepared. In my job as a trial lawyer and as a broadcaster, I take meticulous care in preparing my cases and for games and studio appearances. My preparation leads to my confidence, and allows me to react quickly under pressure." Clearly, Bilas has tried to prepare himself for his challenges as a lawyer and a broadcaster. Being prepared has helped him to do those two jobs.
Bilas also cites his father's preparedness as a major influence on him. Bilas says "I look back on the things my father told me about preparation and concentration, and everything he told me was right. My father never went to work unprepared. When he was working on a project, he had it planned out, and had a contingency plan for things he expected might go wrong. He never left things to chance." Clearly his father's influence made a big difference on Bilas' life. He was influenced in a positive way by his dad.
Bilas says that preparation involves different elements. Among other things, Bilas mentions the need to concentrate on what we are doing when we are doing it; taking one step at a time; that everything that we do is important; the importance of having goals and destinations; and that the season can be broken down into segments. All of these elements can be applied to everyday life as well.
In chapter three, Bilas deals with courage. Bilas says "Everyone has to deal with fear and doubt. Yet I often hear commentary in sports indicating that some players are fearless. Nobody is fearless. However, tough people face their fears and doubts head-on, and they overcome them so they can function at the highest level without the fear and doubt inhibiting their ability to perform at their best. Embracing fear and using it to push yourself to get better takes courage. To me, courage isn't the absence of fear or doubt. Rather courage is overcoming it." Bilas acknowledges that fear is a part of life and of sports. However, Bilas believes that people can overcome fear with courage.
Courage is an individual virtue. However, it does not exist in a vacuum. The group of people around us and the team that an athlete plays for can help a person to develop courage. Bilas says "Having been around team sports all of my life, I have learned that confidence and courage, the kind needed to play without fear or doubt, are most often derived from the strength of your group. Mike Krzyzewski has said 'You are not tough alone.' Similarly, you are not courageous alone." So, Bilas understands that those around us can help us to develop courage. Family, friends and teammates can hep us to develop confidence and courage.
In chapter four, Bilas addresses the importance of communication. Bilas says "Communication is a vital element in true toughness, and it is a vital element in any good relationship. When communication is built on trust, true toughness can emerge. That lesson has been best illuminated for me through basketball." Through being an unselfish member of a team, one can learn how to communicate better and develop toughness.
Bilas says that it is especially important to communicate when playing defense. Bilas says "Talk is essential to a winning team's confidence. Communicating is about connecting and being connected. It is about trust and commitment. On defense, when on teammate is guarding the player with the ball, it is important for all other teammates, or help defenders to 'play the ball' and talk to their teammates guarding the ball." So, this communication helps the team to win and compete at a high level.
Bilas continues by saying "Communication in basketball, or any endeavor, is about trust and honest, and good communication requires toughness. To be a great communicator, you must be tough enough to say tough things to your teammates when it is necessary, and to hear tough things from your teammates when they believe it is necessary." So, communication requires give and take. It requires listening and speaking. It requires growth as a person and as a player. A player has to be willing to develop as a person and as a teammate.
At the end of the chapter, Bilas says "Great communication provides the foundation for coaches and players to be accountable to one another, and to trust one another. Great communication fosters better toughness. The better you communicate, including listening to others and yourself, the tougher you will be. So, Bilas sees a direct correlation between communication and toughness.
Bilas addresses "persistence" in chapter 5. Bilas says "When I asked Mike Krzyzewski what element of toughness he felt was underemphasized, he had a quick and direct response: persistence. Persistence is your ability to keep going without giving up or giving in. If you can be persistent in your belief, preparation, communication, your willingness to endure, and all of the other elements of mental toughness, you will be tougher. Persistence is a mind-set." Persistence goes with perseverance and effort. Persistence is seen over the the long haul. It is evident in someone who believes in a cause and does not waver. Persistence is seen in an athlete who does not give up during the course of a game or a season. Persistence is necessary for a basketball player.
Bilas cites, Mark Alarie, one of his teammates at Duke, as an example of someone who has shown persistence. He said that the players at Duke had to "run the mile for time as a team." He said that he and Alarie tried to beat each other's time. They both trained hard for the team competition and for their own competition between each other. Alarie had a faster time. Bilas asked Alarie how he ran faster than him. Alarie said 'For me, the mile run is about how much pain I'm willing to endure.' Bilas said that Alarie's attitude made him tough and helped him to persevere. Sometimes in life and in sports, we have to be willing to endure sacrifice and hardship. This becomes one measure of how tough we are in sports and in life. Alarie's toughness impressed Bilas.
Bilas also refers to ESPN colleague Sage Steele when talking about toughness. He discussed the beginning of Steele's career when she was not making much money. She worked up the courage to ask her boss for a $1,500 raise for the upcoming year. Instead of asking her family for money, she had the courage to ask her boss for a raise. The boss refused the request, and it hurt Steele. However, Steele said 'It really toughened me up... I had support at home to help me be tougher. My dad challenged me to be tougher, and I responded. I'm proud of that.' Her rejection made her a stronger person and a better journalist. She did not give up or give in. She persevered and became one of the best sports television journalist in the United States. Steele has a lot to be proud of. Her toughness helped her to overcome rejection.
According to Bilas, part of persistence is "pushing limits." Bilas says "Persistence is not just about pushing forward; it is about pushing through to reach a new height, exceeding a new limit you thought you had. Everybody limits themselves in some way, whether it is to manage expectations and avoid disappointment, or to avoid the physical pain and discomfort that accompanies the reach for a new limit, a higher standard." Bilas cited Michelle Akers, a former soccer player on the United States National women's soccer team as an example of someone willing to push limits. Bilas says "Akers suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome and finished every game and practice absolutely exhausted, often requiring intravenous fluids. Akers understood playing in pain and fighting through real fatigue." Akers deserves much credit for her persistence and perseverance. She deserves much respect for her courage and tenacity.
Bilas says that stepping out of our comfort zone is also a part of persistence. Bilas says that her mother encouraged him to step outside of his comfort zone and challenge himself. Her advice and encouragement made a big difference in his life. She saw his potential and wanted him to reach his potential. She explained to him that life would deal him many challenges. She explained to him that he needed to overcome his struggles and difficulties.
His mother also encouraged him to take "elective classes in public speaking and drama in high school." Through those classes, he was introduced to a drama teacher that made a difference in his life.
Chapter 6 is entitled "Next Play." Bilas says that when players make a mistake on the court, they have to put it behind them and focus on the next play. Bilas says "Coach K taught us early on that basketball is a fast-paced, continuous game in which there are no built-in natural breaks in the action like there are in baseball and football. In basketball, players must convert with speed and alertness. In basketball, every player on the floor is required to play offense and defense, and to do so without a break. Because the game is so fast paced and converts so quickly, it requires extraordinary concentration. Coach K's use of the concept of 'next play' is really a prompt to focus players on the present, rather than dwelling upon what just happened. It's a prompt to concentrate on what's truly important - the next play in the game." Coach K's belief in the 'next play' helps players to focus on their responsibilities at each point in the game. The idea of the 'next play' makes it more difficult to dwell on mistakes and inclines a player to meet the next challenge of the game.
Obviously, the concept of the "next play" is applicable in life, too. We do our best everyday at our jobs and in our lives. We focus on the present moment and the current challenge that we are facing.
In chapter 7, Bilas deals with "commitment." Bilas thanks his dad for teaching him about commitment. Bilas says "My father taught me everything I needed to know about commitment. He owned his own business, and he showed up for work every single day. It takes toughness to show up every day, but he didn't stop at showing up. My father was commited to his work, and he embraced it. When he had a job to do, he never shied away from doing it, and he never put if off until later. When there was something to be done, he did it right the first time." Clearly, Bilas' dad made a strong impression on him. He made him a tougher and more committed person.
When discussing commitment, Bilas says it is important to have more than talent. He says that talent needs to be supplemented by toughness. Bilas says "Talent is important. You have to have some talent to be successful in any endeavor. But talent is simply not enough...Nobody can make it on talent alone. But when you combine talent with toughness, you have a winner in anything." Bilas cited his experience playing in Italy to illustrate his point. He pointed out how difficult the fans were for road games and how inconsistent the officiating was. Everything seemed stacked against the road teams. Bilas says "The truth is, it was on the road that you found out just how tough you were, individually and collectively. I had played in some very difficult environments in college, but nothing like what I faced in Italy. Some of those arenas could scare you." Playing in Europe make Bilas stronger as a player and as a person. The difficult circumstances surrounding road games made Bilas a tougher player and person.
Bilas cites Tom Crean ,current coach at the University of Georgia, has someone who makes his players tougher. Crean has players go through a drill called "50-50." This drill involves a "loose ball that is up for grabs." In this drill, both teams fight for the possession of the basketball. Bilas says "When Crean sees that his team has the mental capacity to get 50-50 balls, then he knows they are ready for their best competition." Crean uses the "50-50" drill as a benchmark to measure his team's toughness.
Doris Burke is someone who Bilas respects for her toughness and commitment. Bilas says "Of all the people I have worked with, there is nobody I respect and admire more than Doris Burke. She is a remarkable and selfless teammate." Bilas admires her preparation as a broadcaster. He respects her efforts to overcome criticism and doubt. Bilas also points out that Burke does not get too high from praise or too low from criticism. She remains even keel and focused on her job and responsibilities. Bilas also points out that Burke values "real life toughness" more than "on court toughness."
Bilas discusses "acceptance" in chapter 8. Bilas points out that he was a role player for Duke. Bilas writes that he was one of the best players coming out of California when he was a high school senior. However, he soon realized that there were better players at Duke. There were a few players just as good or better than Bilas. Therefore, he became a role player. Bilas points out that every player is a role player because he or she must be a good teammate. Every player has a limited role on the team. No player can do everything. Bilas says "The truth was, and still is, that no role on that team was any more important than any other role...we all needed to be stars in our roles for our team to be truly successful. And we all needed to be great teammates to accept and embrace our roles." Bilas understands that each player is in a similar position. Each player must adapt to his or her role. Each player must become part of a larger group of players who have a common goal. Acceptance of one's role is a sign of toughness.
One feature of acceptance is dealing with expectations. Bilas points out that many teams and players want to be champions, but they do not want the burden of being the favorite or the team expected to win. Player and teams would rather be the underdog who unexpectedly beats the favorite or the best team. He points out that Coach K did not mind when Duke was ranked number one. Bilas says "Coach K conditioned us to embrace the challenge and responsibility of being number one and warned us that we would see the best shot from every opponent." Coach K did not mind the challenge of being number one. This is an example of toughness.
According to Bilas, one part of acceptance is being a part of a team. Bilas emphasized the importance of working as a team. Bilas says "I always get back to basketball as the best example of what it takes to be tough together, in large measure because I believe basketball is the ultimate team sport. To get a good shot in basketball, you have to work hard, individually and collectively. An 'easy' shot usually comes from having worked your tail off to get it. Easy shots are hard to get, and very few players can get an easy shot by themselves. It takes a team working together to get a great shot. And it is not your shot or my shot- it is
our shot." Teammates work together to put themselves in position to win. Accepting one's role on a team in an attempt to strengthen the team is part of toughness.
Furthermore, Bilas points out that "You're not tough alone, and you don't win or lose alone." All of the players on a team are working together towards a common goal. Together teammates make each other tougher and better. One person's toughness can help another player become tougher. One may say that toughness is contagious. Bilas says "Toughness isn't just about you, but about being tough enough to step outside of your own self-interest and help a teammate. Are you tough enough to help a teammate, even if you are competing against that teammate for playing time or a bigger role on the team?" Acceptance of one's role leads players to help each other on the court. Acceptance of one's role inclines players to work together for the good of the team.
Chapter 9 is entitled "Resilience." Bilas says "The ability to come back, to fight adversity or difficulties, is a measure of true toughness. Every athlete and every person has to face difficulties, and to address them honestly and head-on, and to overcome them takes resilience, a major part of toughness." Resilience is not easy, but necessary in life and in sports. It helps a person to become stronger.
Bilas said that when he had to play center for Duke, he had to guard players who were bigger than him. So, he tried to get stronger in order to successfully cover these players. He said that he committed to weight lifting plan. He also spent time in between his sophomore and junior year rehabilitating his knee. His attempt to reach new levels in weight training taught him about resilience and dealing with challenges.
Bilas also makes the distinction between "tough" and "foolish." Bilas discussed his ability to play through the pain that was in his right knee. He did not talk about his pain or tell his teammates what he was going through. Eventually, a doctor told Bilas that he had a small hole in his patellar tendon. The doctor was surprised that Bilas was able to play with this injury. Bilas says that he should have said something earlier. He said that he should have spoken up about it before he did. Bilas says "I felt like I was being tough, and taking one for the team by playing on an injured knee. But I wasn't. I wasn't smart enough to listen to my body, and do discuss my injury honestly with the medical staff." Bilas' distinction between being "foolish" and being "tough" is important. We need to be tough, but we need to speak up when something is wrong. This is true in sports and in life.
Bilas cites Grant Hill as an example of resilience. He says that Hill battled injuries in the NBA that he tried to overcome. Hill had to change his game and adapt to his situation. Hill did his best to overcome his injuries and remain an good player.
In chapter 10 Bilas deals with "self evaluation." Bilas says "Successful players and teams don't just appraise themselves by records or statistics, but by a standard of excellence that goes beyond a final score. Self-evaluation takes honesty, and the toughest teams and players do not con themselves." Honesty is a part of self evaluation. Athletes need to honestly evaluate their abilities and talents. Athletes need to honestly evaluate where and how they need to improve. Athletes need to appreciate their abilities, while working on their weaknesses. Self evaluation is necessary for an athlete.
Bilas says "I believe that you have to commit to honestly and objectively assessing just how tough you are right now, where you have met your standard and where you have fallen short of it, and you have to address what you need to do, and are willing to do, to consistently meet that standard of toughness.
Bilas' book encourages us to develop toughness in our lives. It also encourages athletes to be tougher in their prospective sports. Bilas discusses some of the elements of inner strength and toughness. He shows how these elements help us to be stronger in life and in athletics. All of the different elements mentioned by Bilas are important and helpful.
