My Take on Late Bloomers, Kinda Like Pippen
You know, that story about Scottie Pippen’s growth spurt? It’s always been rattling around in my head. Not really because I was some huge basketball nut, though I watched the Bulls back then. It was more about how things can just… change. Suddenly. When you least expect it.
I remember this one time, years back, I was helping out coaching my kid’s local rec league team. Just volunteering, you know? And there was this one boy on the team, let’s call him Mike. Honestly, at the start, Mike was… well, he wasn’t exactly setting the court on fire. He was small for his age, clumsy, couldn’t seem to catch a pass to save his life. Seemed more interested in watching the clock than the ball.
Getting Started with Mike
We started the season, and practice after practice, it felt like pulling teeth. Dribbling drills? Ball bouncing off his foot. Passing? Usually ended up hitting someone in the back of the head, or just rolling away. Shooting? Let’s just say the backboard was safe. I spent extra time with him, showed him the basics over and over. My patience was wearing thin, I gotta admit. You start thinking, maybe this just isn’t for him. Maybe he should try chess club or something. Felt like wasted effort sometimes.
The Grind and the Doubt
- We ran drills.
- We did one-on-one coaching.
- We tried different positions.
Nothing seemed to click. He wasn’t disruptive or anything, just… not progressing. Other kids were getting better, faster, stronger. But Mike seemed stuck in first gear. I remember thinking, okay, just make sure he gets his playing time, keep it positive, but don’t expect miracles. He looked like he’d topped out, just like people thought Pippen had before he shot up in height.
Then Came the Change
It wasn’t like a movie montage, nothing that dramatic. But somewhere past the halfway mark of the season, things started to shift. It was subtle at first. He started catching passes more cleanly. He wasn’t the fastest, but he started anticipating where the ball was going. Then, during one practice scrimmage, he actually stole the ball, dribbled (a bit awkwardly, but still) down the court, and made a layup. Everyone kinda stopped for a second. Did that just happen?
From that point on, it was like someone flipped a switch. He didn’t suddenly become Michael Jordan, don’t get me wrong. But his coordination improved, he seemed more confident, more engaged. He started asking questions. He grew a bit taller too, maybe an inch or two, but it was more than just height. It was like his understanding of the game finally caught up, or clicked into place. A real late spurt in skill and confidence.
What I Learned
Watching Mike reminded me so much of that Pippen story. You just never know. You can look at someone, assess them, think you have them figured out, especially when they’re young or just starting something. But potential is a funny thing. It doesn’t always show up on schedule. Sometimes it needs time, patience, and maybe just the right moment to bloom.
Ever since then, whether it’s with work stuff, new hires, or just seeing folks try new things, I try to keep that experience in mind. Don’t write people off too quick. Give ’em space, keep encouraging, because you never know when they might hit their own unexpected “growth spurt”. It made me a bit more patient, I think. Still working on it, but it’s something I try to remember.
