My God Daughter and the Lady Raiders

This weekend, I went to see my god daughter play basketball. Her name is Carmen and she is a fiesty little thing that I've grown to love over the years. I am not 100% sure how she became my god daughter, but I think it started about 7 years ago, at the age of 9. I was her track coach in 2001 and 2002 and we developed a bond. I was the only one who could get her to calm down during her temper tantrums, and she also identified well with my "Kick ass or die" attitude about everything. Before long, I ended up as her god father, which has been a wonderful experience for me.

Years later, Carmen has grown into a beautiful 15 year old girl, who plays for one of the top basketball teams in the country. They aren't very tall, but I call them a "pack of very angry midgets". They are 100% black and intimidate the crap out of anyone with the misfortune of standing on the other side of the ball.

I got a chance to see the Iroquois Lady Raiders in action the other week, as they slaughtered some poor team by 30 points. I was so proud I didn't know what to do. Even my little Carmen was getting "major ticks" as she provided a great spark off the bench, helping the team win The Lady of the South Tournament. As of right now, they are #1 in the state of Kentucky and one of the top 30 teams in the country. Not bad for a pack of angry midgets.

What makes me most proud is that Carmen has the right attitude about life. She wants to be a winner in everything she does. I tell students all the time that attitude is everything. A great person with the wrong attitude is going to fair far worse than a mediocre person with a great attitude. Carmen has the attitude of a great woman, and I know she is going to excel.

I plan to speak at the banquet for her basketball team. I spoke at her school about the importance of attending college a few months ago, and I also speak at The University of Louisville very soon as well. I would be honored to speak to the Iroquois Lady Raiders Basketball team, and I am especially honored to be a part of my God daughter's life.