They did it! The Cavs made history. The curse has been reversed. Cleveland has reason to celebrate after 52 long years! As a native Clevelander, I have spent the last few days reflecting on exactly what this historical event means to me. What I’ve realized is that is really has nothing to do with sports. Sure, I like to root for my local teams (OSU, Indians, Browns, Cavs, etc.) and I like the ideas of teamwork, competition and strategy, but this win is different. It’s huge. It transcends the court. It is an event I will reference as I attempt to instill values into my kids.
Here are seven things I have learned from Cleveland and The Cavs that I hope to pass along to my kids:
Never give up.
When you are born and raised in the Cleveland area, you learn from an early age that things aren’t handed to you. A strong work ethic is a must to achieve anything, and giving up is not an option. For 52 years, Cleveland fans rooted for their teams even when they continually broke our hearts. Looking back now, this loyalty was a lesson that was never directly taught. It was just a part of life, something that is still part of who I am, 30-something years later. I am hopeful that I can accurately retell the history of Cleveland sports for my daughters. I hope I can give them some of the GRIT that unites Clevelanders.
Be an optimist. And be loyal.
Until June 19, 2016, Cleveland’s battle cry was “There’s always next year!” For 52 years, we believed that next year would be our year. If that isn’t dedication, I don’t know what is. Loyalty and optimism are necessary when times are tough, and even if they don’t learn them from sports, I am so hopeful that my daughters make these traits part of their character.
Work for what you want.
The Cavs were down 3-1 in the finals series. They had to win three in a row against a team who had only lost nine games in the entire regular season. No team had ever won three in a row in the finals. Impossible, right? Nope. The Cavs dug deep, didn’t give up, and made history. LeBron said it beautifully, “In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.” This, in a nutshell, is what I hope my daughters understand and model for their kids.
Be passionate.
Where else in the country will 20,000 fans assemble to watch a game, in an arena, on a TV? Clevleand. Where else in the country will another fan answer with an enthusiastic “IO” when greeted with an “OH”? Ohio. Fans in this state love their teams and aren’t afraid to show it. I hope my girls find their passion and share it with the world.
Be thankful and humble.
It would have been so easy for LeBron to take credit for this win. As the unanimously voted MVP, he made history with his finals statistics but he took the time to individually thank each of his teammates during the championship celebration in Cleveland. Truly a class act. I hope my daughters make humility part of their being.
You can always come home.
Cleveland was heartbroken about “The Decision” in 2010. We were hurt, angry, and felt betrayed by one of our own. In 2014, LeBron wrote us a letter to announce that he was coming home to play basketball for the Cavs once again. We moved past our negative emotions and welcomed him home. I hope that my girls will always view our house as home, and will always feel safe enough to return even after a mistake.
Celebrate!
I knew the championship parade was going to be huge, but who could have predicted that it would be 1.3 million huge?! Craziness. Fans felt the need to come together to celebrate history, and celebrate they did! I hope that my girls know how to work hard and how to play hard.
All In
It seems to me that the entire state of Ohio (the entire nation?!) was celebrating with Cleveland last week and I have to believe some of the “grittiness” of Cleveland, Ohio had something to do with it. You don’t have to
be from Cleveland to appreciate the above values. Here’s hoping that Ohio parents continue to instill some pretty amazing qualities in our young people. After all, we should be #Allin216 with our sports AND our kids, right?
