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We often speak to our teams in the preseason and throughout the year about a mentality or mindset. We create situations to try them both mentally and physically; on the court and off. Testing our players resolve at their weakest hour. Some programs have boot camps, others wake their players for conditioning at 4:30 am, all to make their teams uncomfortable. Making sure they stay steadfast in times of pressure, relying on core values that have been created. Constantly reinforcing a mindset that we all hope to create, whatever that may be.
We have a mindset that we can never be broken, WE ARE UNBREAKABLE. Every team will make a run, we realize this, and it is the anatomy of the game. As we all know basketball is a game of mistakes so to give in or to give up under any circumstances is unacceptable. At Boston University we speak of loyalty, accountability and effort as the cornerstones of our program. If your foundation is weak, more times than not a defensive assignment will be missed or precise details in late game execution will be passed over and a chance to steal a road win may slip away. At the end of the day though, we realize that when the ball stops bouncing we hope our players still keep the values we have ingrained in them close to their hearts and that they provide a backbone for their future successful endeavors. Realizing a 20 point deficit on the road or studying for their series 7 financial securities exam are the same, merely both hurdles to overcome. There is no obstacle that cannot be conquered with the right mental makeup!
This season we have been fortunate enough to have a Boston University student around our program who exemplifies all these characteristics we speak of; his name is Connor Lenahan and he is a constant reminder about perseverance and resolve. You see, Connor has Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a condition which causes his bones to be extremely brittle. He has broken 10 major bones in his life. Most recently he broke his left tibia and fibula completely, this happened in June for the second time. He was in a cast for 74 days and prior to this hurdle, Connor had been unbroken since December 2009. He had fought back from a broken right tibia and fibula sustained in 2009 to be completely mobile to his doctors dismay. Connor uses a wheel chair to get around Commonwealth Ave, but he is not confined to it and will never be. You see he has a mentality, a mind-set that he is UNBREAKABLE. If he falls down, his work ethic and drive get him back up. He comes to practice daily and mans the clock, fills water bottles, rebounds for players. The skinny is he gets involved wherever he can, he will do anything to help his brothers.
What made me want to share this was the letter he wrote to our team; he explained his condition. He talked about how the doctors said it would be a slower road to recovery this time with the added metal plate to his shin from his June fall. The prognosis was it would be a long rehabilitation process, nothing out of the ordinary, par for the course for our man Connor. He knew what he had ahead of him and he looked forward to conquering that challenge as he has done many times before. The doctors thought it would take a few months to get him on his feet again. After four weeks he was walking. He is continually walking at practice, unheard of after major surgery less than six months ago.
Connor writes of his tireless work ethic and will to fight daily to improve his body while at the same time sharpening his mind. He is a freshman majoring in Journalism in our school of communication and he has his own website (ConnorLenahan.com), a very talented young man. He wrote to us all saying how much he appreciates being around the team and staff and enjoys seeing the bonds we are forging, all working for one common goal. He speaks of us all being role models to him but the fact of the matter is he is the role model for us all. The one who will continue to defy the odds, enjoying each day at practice and epitomizing the word resiliency, we need not worry about hanging our head after a turnover or a missed shot because Connor puts it all in perspective. Regardless if more bones break; they will mend and we all will cherish the mindset of being UNBREAKABLE.
This mindset will continue to define Terrier basketball!
Thank you Connor Lenahan!
WE are Terrier Basketball!
- Coach Maciariello
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