Lessons of a Lifetime in 4.7 Seconds

What We Can Learn From a Special Group of Student Athletes and?The Values Jay Wright and Villanova University Helped Foster?

Villanova’s national championship victory on April 4th was much more profound than a dramatic game-winning shot. It was the realization of a program steeped in playing the game of basketball and living life the right way.?

COMPOSURE

North Carolina Senior Captain, Marcus Paige, has just made an acrobatic, improvisational and sensational three point shot to tie the game with 4.7 seconds remaining. Paige wills it to happen as great achievers do. As Villanova was up 10 points with 5 minutes to go, most players would focus on what they had just lost, but not this team.

Notice the Villanova team after Paige’s backbreaking shot: completely focused, emotions in check and positive body language completely maintained. The team exudes Jay Wright’s philosophy of “attitude...next play.” Coach has raised them to be ready for this moment. They embrace the mindset made famous by the great Billie Jean King “pressure is a privilege”.

One of my all time favorite quotes is from Charles Swindoll (and I’m paraphrasing): “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond. We are responsible for our attitudes.” https://www.bigeye.com/attitude.htm

PREPARATION

This Villanova team was also supremely poised because they’ve prepared for this moment every single day in practice. Before walking into the huddle, they know precisely their next move. And the reward for that deliberate practice is a calm confidence to perform.?

Notice four-year captain, Ryan Arcidiacono, in the huddle nodding his head, and staring straight ahead. You could feel him visualizing the play.

A relevant side note: Coach Wright has prepared his seniors to lead this team and they do not disappoint. Captains Arcidiacono and Ochefu request all coaches and managers to stay out of the locker room at the beginning of halftime, so they could get on each other for defensive breakdowns. As coach Wright tells it…"they look me square in the eyes and say…coach, we’ve got it.” Are you kidding? This is the national championship. Jay Wright says ok because these are the accountable leaders and men of character he and the university have helped shape.?

OWNING IT

Ryan Arcidiacono has said that when they practice last minute free throws and game-ending shots, everyone on the team wants to take them because that’s how they’ve conditioned themselves for success.?

Regardless, based on four years of incredible leadership and countless game winning shots in his career, everyone expects Ryan to take the shot. This includes Daniel Ochefu who stares him down in the huddle and says, “You better take the shot”.

Arcidiacono, like decades of athletes before him, has dreamt of this very moment, thousands of times growing up. This is particularly personal, as he’s been a Villanova fan as long as he can remember; since this is the university his mom and dad attended. He wants to make the last shot like nothing he has wanted more in his life.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Before the play begins, something’s not right. The floor is still wet from Ochefu’s diving attempt to steal the ball from Paige the play before. To no surprise, both Daniel and Ryan acknowledge this and will not start the play before it’s addressed. They know a key part of the play will happen at this very spot.

In a somewhat amusing exchange, Ochefu smiles and respectfully grabs the floor mop from a young boy to ensure the area is entirely dry. Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. And you just can’t risk a slip up during such a potentially epic moment. Details matter…a lot.

DECISION TIME

We are the product of the choices we make. All 70,000 in NRG Stadium, the North Carolina team, the Villanova team, and Ryan Arcidiacono himself, believe he will take the last shot.

The play develops and, in a split second, Arcidiacono assesses the imminent defensive collapse on him and hears “Arch, Arch” behind him. Both he and Kris Jenkins know that North Carolina chose not to guard the inbounds player, yet Ryan can still take the shot, force a foul and potentially become the hero of the best championship game ever. He knows no one would question this decision.?

TRUST

One of the most common responses from every player on this special Villanova team is how much they trust and love each other. Throughout the season, when asked about his improved fitness during the offseason, Kris Jenkins said the biggest impact was the increased trust his teammates have in him.

If Kris is the same player from last season, he does not get up the court in time. Nor does he have the stamina or elevation to get the shot off at the end of such a physical and emotional game. But Arch knows this is a different player. In a split second, he makes the decision to “sell his move” to the Carolina defenders at precisely the right time and make a beautiful dish.

EXECUTION

We all know the line, “Talk is cheap, and execution is everything.” We all want success and most say we want the big moment. It’s entirely another thing to back it up with precise execution under adverse circumstances.

Arcidiacono – Not only does Arcidiacono deftly take the ball up approximately 55 feet, he crosses over his dribble and floats the ball in the exact spot to keep Jenkins in rhythm.?

Ryan says later in the press conference “I was trying to be aggressive. But it’s not about me taking the shot, it’s about me making the right read.” In the mayhem of the moment, it would be completely understandable if Arcidiacono got wrapped up with what he was trying to do and not hear Kris amongst the 70,000 screaming fans. Yet his shrewd listening skills allow him to properly assess the play.?

While incredibly impressive, this is not Arcidiacono’s most important act. He smoothly crosses in front of Kris (without creating a charge) and executes a “brush screen,” which gives Jenkins just enough time to get off a clean look. This is crucial as the 6’9”, 235-pound Isaiah Hicks nearly arrives in time to alter or block the shot.?

Jenkins – It’s one thing for Kris to yell “Arch, Arch” and yet another to ensure he sprints up to get in Ryan’s line of vision so he knows when to dish. Jenkins needs to be speedy yet stay in control, be balanced, elevate, and deliver the shot in time.

While Kris would admit he was not completely squared up, everything else was total textbook. His feet were set, chin and chest up, knees flexed, high release, and ball completely in the palm of his right hand and a beautiful, relaxed follow-through. Just like his mom taught him. His mechanics and smooth stroke were so good that, despite his slight left alignment, the ball simply lands inside the left bottom of the net.

BELIEF

It’s been researched and proven that great physiology begets great confidence and improved performance. In looking at Kris’ body language, its apparent how he wants the ball and “lives for these moments” as Jay Wright proudly commented later.?

What’s equally important is his mindset. And Kris couldn’t have said it any better to CBS’ Jim Nance, when asked if he thought the shot was going in, “Every time I take a shot, I think they’re all going in.”

PERSPECTIVE

Throughout the season, when the players were asked about the two senior leaders, there was no hesitation to correct the questioner by stating there are five senior leaders on this team Arcidiacono, Ochefu, Lowe, Rafferty and Farrell.

These corrections were not simply being courteous to the other walk-on seniors, but a serious acknowledgement of their equal impact to the team. I’ve personally been around this team and the level of respect for every team member: trainers, managers, assistant coaches, Father Rob and scout team, is absolutely authentic and incredible to witness.

If you watched carefully throughout the season, Henry Lowe was far out on the court to greet every starter announced.??And who was the first player to lead the team on the court each game, including the championship game? It was Henry Lowe. This is no coincidence. This team exudes respect, collaboration and leadership.

As they say, “it takes a village” and every person affiliated with this program would emphatically agree.

GRATITUDE

Ryan Arcidiacono: “I love everything about this university.”

Josh Hart: “We genuinely love each other. We don’t care who get’s the credit. This is a special team.”

Kris Jenkins: “The fact that Ryan was so unselfish to make the pass tells you everything about him as a teammate and who he is as a person.”

Daniel Ochefu: “We thank all the guys who were with us before. We thank our families, our coaches, and all our teammates. We play for those who came before us…Go Cats! Go Cats!”?

Ochefu’s comments particularly hit home as Villanova is truly a family and Coach Wright ensures generations of former players remain close to the program and they gladly do so.

JOY

Every person on this Villanova team made sacrifices.??While not easy, they’ve often said they were happy to make those sacrifices because they knew they were part of something special that was much greater than themselves. They embraced this philosophy and had fun with it. The joy of this realization was authentic and contagious to the Villanova community, far and wide.

PURPOSE & MEANING

Jay Wright will continue to receive overtures from interested suitors. Coach Wright has publicly and authentically expressed his loyalty to Villanova. He knows that no amount of money can ever replace his deep love for the university; the pride and satisfaction of helping shape the lives of his “children”, his players.?

This Jay Wright-led Villanova team was never arrogant about their season-long success. In fact it often appeared they were too humble. Yet, while others doubted, these student athletes never wavered nor were surprised by their success, including a championship game victory.

Villanova has recently undertaken steps to increase the university’s national profile. When on the national stage, the entire university distinguished itself as being completely ready for national academic and athletic prominence.?

EPILOGUE

We should all look forward to periodically tracking the future lives of these fine men, who are destined to be successful at whatever they chose to achieve.??They have already taught us so much.

About the Author

Peter Russell is Founder & CEO of Kindling - a video based, online mentorship platform that empowers young adults to thrive personally and professionally. For more details, go to www.gokindling.com