While my favorite month is October by far, I have a soft spot for March. Living in Las Vegas, it means Spring is here. And while it’s not pool weather by West Coast standards, it’s just warm enough to embrace the latest Spring fashion trends. I can bust out my flip flops and short-sleeved tops. I’m not looked at sideways when I wear white. March is the month I met my husband and the month we get to celebrate his birthday. Our youngest son was born during March on my second favorite holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. It’s also the month of my absolute favorite sporting event. You guessed it… NCAA March Madness. Yes, March is a big month in the Byrne household.
Now, if you aren’t a college basketball fan, I’ll let you in on why March Madness is such a big deal. It’s a single-elimination basketball tournament for Division 1 level college basketball teams of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Of the 68 teams that qualify for the “big dance,” 32 Division I conference champions get an automatic invitation. The other 36 teams are nominated by the NCAA selection committee. Out of 351 Division I schools, only one team wins and brings home the national championship trophy. It certainly doesn’t hurt our love for the tournament that our favored Kentucky Wildcats usually make it to the Sweet 16.
Even if you don’t love basketball, there’s a lot to respect and appreciate about the tournament. The competitive spirit of the players. The Cinderella stories of teams who no one thought could make it. The heart-breaking, buzzer-beating losses. We can all learn great life lessons from watching March Madness.
Here are a few of mine:
- Give 100%. Always! There are no participation ribbons in the game of life.
- Don’t let others define your destiny. If you’re invited to “the dance,” you deserve to be there. Never doubt yourself.
- You didn’t get to the top alone. Be grateful for all the teachers, coaches, teammates, friends, and family members who helped you along the way (especially your mom).
- Sorry Duke fans but I still hate Christian Laettner. And that’s ok. In sports and in life, it’s those deep-rooted rivalries that motivate us to kick ass when we need it.
- Be a good sport. When you win, enjoy the victory but don’t be smug. When you lose, get back to practice, work harder, and fight to win your next game.
Basketball doesn’t build character, it reveals it. ~ – James Naismith, University of Kansas Jayhawks (1898-1907)
