A runner that sprints out of the gates to start and does not pace himself will not beat the runner that paces himself throughout the race. Focusing on the long run rather than on the then and now is more important; people that prepare for something in the long run rather than in the present will find themselves more successful. Although it may be tough, preparing for the future while the present is difficult will lead to something more. All of this goes hand-in-hand with many different occasions. The athlete who may not be as good as the others but puts in the effort and work will find themselves playing more time than the ones they used to play behind. The actor that recites their lines over and over again might find themselves getting the lead role over the one that has been the lead for years. The student that has not had the greatest grades, but studies and pushes him- or herself to be better oftentimes will find their grades getting better and better. In the end, what comes with greatness is practice.

When someone says practice makes perfect, they really mean it. It is the people that push themselves to their limits to achieve their goals that will find themselves more successful than those who do not.

“The key is not the ‘will to win,’ everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important,” Bob Knight, one of the most decorated NCAA division I men’s basketball coaches ever said in an interview with ESPN.

Everyone has the drive to win, but not everyone has the drive to push themselves to their limits to prepare to win. This is the motto that junior Joshua Nordhaus has preached his whole life.

“It is a strong quote,” Nordhaus said. “It is a quote that I can compare myself to.”

Nordhaus has had a passion for basketball ever since he started playing in middle school.

“I started playing basketball because my friends pushed me to,” Nordhaus said. “I’m thankful for that.”

Nothing for Nordhaus had ever gone his way. Since he was in the sixth grade, he tried out for basketball every year, but never made the team. He came out year after year pushing himself, but it never seemed to be enough.

“I thought about giving up at points,” Nordhaus said. “But I just love playing the game too much.”

All of this misfortune changed his sophomore year. Nordhaus spent almost every day of the summer at the Lindenhurst Park District shooting hoops. He would go there with friends but sometimes, he would go alone, pushing himself to get better. Nordhaus could tell he had gotten better, but did not know what to expect going into tryouts.

“I tried out because I had fun with it,” Nordhaus said. “I just enjoyed being out there with friends.”

After tryouts, Nordhaus found out he did not make the team, but he did receive a different opportunity. He got the chance to get as close to being on the team without actually being on it by becoming the manager. Nordhaus loved the opportunity; he got to spend time with his friends, travel with the team and even practice with them.

“I wasn’t even mad I didn’t make the team,” Nordhaus said. “I accepted being the manager in a heartbeat.”

About halfway through the season, Nordhaus received another opportunity, this time an opportunity he had always dreamt about. He got the opportunity to suit up with the team and take the court with them for the first time in his life.

“I didn’t even see it coming,” Nordhaus said. “It was as much of a surprise to me as it was to everyone else.”

In his first ever game, the Sequoits faced the Grayslake Central Rams. Yet another one of his dreams came true when Nordhaus was put into the starting line up. Touching the ball in a game was something he only dreamed would happen. He made his first shot in the game of his life, and it was one to remember.

“I had three guys guarding me,” Nordhaus said. “It was actually not a good shot choice, but it went in.”

After five years of not making the basketball team, Nordhaus finally achieved his goal. It did not come easily to him, nor was he ever told it was going to be easy. Nordhaus spent countless days in the gym trying to work on his game. Nothing was ever given to him: not the shot that he worked on, the dribbling skills he improved on or even the basketball player he had become.  The effort Nordhaus has given into the game of basketball is greater than many others, and that has continued to show. In the long run, it may not be the person that is naturally gifted at something that comes out on top. It is the drive in the person that wants to get better and puts in the work and effort to achieve their goal that will be more successful over time.