How Do You Spell Win? (eBook)

Memoirs from a Mentor

Dena Chapman, Robert Collins (Autoren)

eBook Download: EPUB

2021 | 1. Auflage
116 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
978-1-0983-6897-5 (ISBN)

Infos

Take me back to the days when mentoring was a well-respected craft and a highly sought after profession by young people. First-time author Robert Collins delivers a passionate, spell-binding account of his life as an athletics coach and mentor spanning more than two decades of his life. His memoir is chock-full of delightful and compelling stories and experiences both on and off the playing field. Collins' paints vivid pictures of fond memories experienced as well as painful and insightful lessons learned and shared with the young people under his tutelage. His story-telling skills are immeasurably captivating and will keep the reader, even those of us without knowledge of athletics, engaged until the very end! A must read for anyone seeking strategies, skills and inspiration for how to win in life!

Textauszug

Chapter I

My Starting Line-Up

It all started for me in West Chesterfield, a small, south side community of Chicago; I was born and raised there for the first ten years of my life. The small duplex was located at 9217 South Dunbar Court, and there was a North Dunbar Court on the opposite end of the block - they were sandwiched between 92nd and 93rd street, flanked by Forest and Prairie Avenue. There were houses all around the perimeter of the block and court-way. Most people in the surrounding blocks never really knew where the court-way was because it was kinda tucked away, a little secluded I’d say. The people who lived in the court-way were proud, upstanding residents. They took great care to cut their lawns and trim their hedges. They didn’t have much, but they thought it was important to present themselves with dignity and keep up a clean community.

Our first home meant a lot to my parents. My dad used the GI Bill (a Federal Government grant that provided relief to WWII soldiers) to purchase our first home. My parents, Charles and DeLois, were proud people; they had survived some rocky, post war times, but now they were first-time homeowners and that carried a great sense of pride for a young African American family- a huge win for sure. I learned from their great example the value of perseverance and sacrifice; they taught me to be resourceful, but also that it’s okay to ask for help when you need it.

My parents would often say, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” To this day, I still believe in, and more importantly, live by this philosophy; it has always had the flavor of winning attached to it.

The court-way was different from most streets that some of my friends lived near; it was shaped like an old-fashioned keyhole, with a narrow entrance for about forty yards and then it opened up and it was round at the deepest part. There were six homes that faced the court-way where parents could watch their kids from their living room window. Back-in-the-day, it takes a village to raise a child philosophy was in full effect; all of the parents on the block made it their responsibility to keep a watchful eye on all of the kids on the block regardless if they were their own child or not. For example,if Mrs. Lewis, my first best friend Wally’s mother saw me do something questionable, I guarantee you, my mom knew about it immediately.

The court-way was very unique because the surface was all rocks and broken concrete. Despite all its flaws, the court-way was the center of everything on the block for us kids; it was our field of dreams. We played ball and hide and go seek late weekend evenings til dusk. When the street lights came on, that meant game over and get in the house! Our baseball field was defined by four sewers that served as our bases and when you stood on base during a game, the foul sewer smell drifted into the air. Distant sidewalks marked the home run area, and we all kept track of how many home runs we hit that summer. My brother Chuckie and a few older boys won that contest, but even as a small boy I was swinging for the fences, trying to WIN! It’s amazing how a space so small could provide all that we needed. We loved that place and I felt like it loved us back; it was always there for us.

Both my parents worked hard to make ends meet and afford a good quality of life for our family. The planning, insight and the preparedness of my parents has provided me a great blueprint for winning in life! I can’t think of anything my parents did or said to make life anything but awesome for me as a child and young adult.

My Mom, De Lois Charles Collins, was probably the smartest person I’ve ever known. Yes, her middle name was Charles, as my grandfather wanted a boy so bad that he gave her his first name as her middle name. She was small in stature, probably weighed about 115 pounds or so, and never gained weight her entire life. She was beautiful, charismatic and a well-dressed woman. For two consecutive years, she was named one of the ten best dressed African American Women in Chicago. She ate healthy, and lived life to the fullest.

Her father was her biggest champion in life (she was his only daughter). My mom attended Burke Elementary and Parker High School. At that time, these schools were considered to be the “better schools.” She was determined to receive the full benefits of a good education. She attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where she majored in French and Economics. My mom made the Dean’s List upon completion of her program and to this day, she remains the youngest graduate (at 19 years old) in their history; she completed her undergraduate degree within three years.

While in high school, my mother managed her father’s insurance business. She built her own court reporting agency and eventually pursued a mortician’s license. She became a funeral director while raising two very active boys! Her impact on my thinking was powerful. Personally, I never doubted that I would graduate from college. However, being an average student, who also juggled sports and an active social life, I suspect that my parents may have had some doubts. I recall the day when I asked my mom’s advice about whether or not to pursue my dream of playing Major League Baseball or use my diploma to become a teacher. Baseball had teased me with being considered a possible draft pick by the Cincinnati Reds and the Oakland Athletics. I knew I was good enough, but at that time being good enough didn’t cut it; you had to be twice as good to make the Major Leagues, and even then, there were no guarantees. After a brief discussion with my mom, she told me to call her back when I had made my decision. That was the day my mother willed me to become my own man and make my own decisions. It’s no surprise that I chose teaching as my vocation in life; my mom had instilled in me the value of an education. It was probably the best decision and greatest win of my life.

My dad, Charles Robert Collins I, was a Lieutenant during World War II, and during his tour of duty, he received two very distinguished medals - a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

He was an amazing man, person and dad. He had dreams to be a pharmacist, but being the oldest child back then, it was hard for him to fulfill his dream because he had to make sacrifices so his younger sister could attend school.

My dad was versatile and had many skills, one of which was dealing with people. He had that personality that made you feel comfortable in his presence; my dad was warm, sincere and empathetic. I’d also say he was very much an opportunist. I don’t believe he ever really wanted to be a mortician, but after meeting his bride-to-be, his fate was sealed. My mom was the daughter of prominent Funeral Director, Charles Crook. She fell in love with my dad, and eventually Mr. Crook made my dad the assistant manager of Crook Funeral Home, one of the first African American funeral homes in Chicago. Crook Funeral Home was built from the ground up and it was the only funeral home that provided ambulance service. While working other odd jobs (i.e. short order cook and pharmacy delivery driver), my dad attended Worsham College in pursuit of his funeral director’s license. He was a hard worker-very consistent and heavily involved in church ministry, spending time with his cronies (his social group), and helping out with many other civic groups and organizations that he supported. My dad would give you the shirt off his back; he was a giver, always helping somebody in some form or fashion. That’s just who he was.

I am so very proud of my parents and the impact they had not only on my life but on so many people they encountered. And although my parents are long gone from this earth, their example of strong work ethic coupled with wisdom continues to guide me as I walk through life.

My brother, Charles Robert Collins II,(aka Chuckie) is four years older than me-my parents planned that gap so we could both go to college and not have the financial strain of two kids in college at the same time. Chuckie was actually a small guy, about 115 pounds and a wrestler on a city championship team his senior year. I remember being about 145 pounds at that point. I was always a little larger in stature than him, but he was still the big brother and he put me in my place when necessary. In every sense of the word, Chuckie was a big brother to me. While my parents worked, he made sure I was safe and cared for. Whether he liked it or not, Chuckie was my protector. He took a fair share of the switches and spankings that were meant for me. Chuckie dragged me around with him everywhere he went; I was constantly under his watchful eye. Chuckie was also my very first coach and mentor. He taught me how to play baseball and football- you name it! Being the first son carries a different set of responsibilities than being the second son. At a very tender age, Chuckie had to stand tall for me and I thank him graciously for that. I’ll always appreciate and love him for the role he played in my life!

Family means everything to me. Family isn’t always limited to blood...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.3.2021
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Biografien / Erfahrungsberichte
• ISBN-10: 1-0983-6897-5 / 1098368975
• ISBN-13: 978-1-0983-6897-5 / 9781098368975