As my coach at my alma mater would always say, “Don’t make excuses. Just ‘GID.’ Get it done.” This seemed to be a common theme with Coach Palombo. With an extremely hard work ethic, consistent winning career, and the manliest mustache east of the Mississippi River, I had a hard time not buying into his ways. Getting things done seemed to be a way of life for Coach Palombo that rubbed off on me throughout my four years at Guilford College.
This idea of not making excuses has come back to me more the longer that I am living in Northern Ireland. Now that classes have started, I have a lot more on my plate than I anticipated. I have class two days a week on top of training, coaching, and other commitments with Sport Changes Life. Is it difficult? Yes. Am I thankful to have these types of problems? Absolutely. I realize as I go through my daily routine that none of this will last forever. At some point I won’t be able to play basketball at a competitive level. At some point I won’t be able to travel the world on a whim. But at any given point while I am here, I have the opportunity to make an impact on a young person’s life. I have a choice to not take my interactions with youth seriously. I also have the choice to help them achieve something new through the sport of basketball. What do you think I choose? I choose not to make any excuses and #GID.
