From my fellow educator in LA: Kathy Goodman: Focus and effort

The last time I played basketball -- the only time, really -- I was in eighth grade and my U.S. History teacher, who coached the eighth-grade team, asked me to join because I was tall. I knew the rules of basketball — I had played it in gym class — but had no actual basketball skills. But I liked my history teacher, so I joined the team. It became apparent pretty early in the process that I had no actual skills. I couldn’t dribble; I couldn’t pass; I couldn’t shoot. My coach still played me, though, because the one thing I could do was rebound. It didn’t require great athleticism or years of practice. It required focus and effort. I was reminded of that often during the Sparks’ 80-68 loss to the New York Liberty on Tuesday night.