He’s Got Game…And This Is What He Did With It
Feb 15, 2018Posted by james
He doesn’t recall their names. But, he does remember the impact they had on his life.
David Simon attended Herricks High School in New Hyde Park during the 1980s. For 10th grade, though, he had to attend Robert Louis Stevenson High School in Manhattan. He was sent there after he became rebellious following the breakup of his family and when his father walked out of his life.
David had played several sports as a kid. But, after the family dissolved, he spent more time with other kids were who directionless. The consequences sometimes were catastrophic. One kid was stabbed to death. Another, who was drunk, was killed by a train. Another died from an overdose.
One day, as David explained it, two black kids invited him, a white dude, to play pickup basketball at the playground near Stevenson. Their praise made him think. After they saw him play, they told him “you’ve got game.” That’s when David realized that he had a choice – continue on the road he was traveling or apply the brakes.
Though just a kid, David thought about having his own family one day. He thought that he wanted to be a great father, but first he had to change a few things.
Back at Herricks for his junior year, David played JV basketball. He also worked on his game outside of school and refused to let the street control his life. He played varsity during his senior year, leading the division in rebounds.
Basketball became David’s sanctuary. He played a year in college before joining the family business. He enrolled in night classes to obtain a diploma. He continued to play basketball, earning a contract with a team in the International Basketball Association. He touched it and then moved on. He now has four children who have been successful in sports and have made many good friends along the way.
Looking back, David feels life is more than just sports. Life is all about community. It’s also about the will to succeed by creating a plan and developing a work ethic. He often wonders what would have been different in his life had those two guys not invited him to play basketball at the playground. David also wonders if their lives have turned out as well.
by james on Feb 15, 2018 |
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