Some examples of marginally
successful late bloomers:
Jerry
Rice: Rice didn’t go to USC, Notre Dame or University of
Texas. No. The greatest wide receiver in history
attended… Mississippi Valley State University.
Aaron
Rogers: Rogers, the Green Bay Packers QB and Super Bowl winner
started his college career at Butte Community College because he didn’t get a single Division I athletic scholarship
offer coming out of high school!
Tom
Brady: The multi-super bowl champ and future hall of famer
was a 6th round draft. A
couple QB’s selected ahead of Tom Brady - Giovanni Carmazzi, Hofstra - Drafted by the San Francisco
49ers in Round 3, Pick 65; and Spergon Wynn, SW Texas State - Drafted by the
Cleveland Browns in Round 6, Pick 183.
Michael
Jordan: And everyone
knows the story of Jordan by now. The fiercest, most competitive and gifted
athletic talent ever was cut from his high school varsity basketball team as a
sophomore. But he stayed with it. Imagine our loss had Jordan’s parents said,
“Meh, maybe basketball is not for you, young Michael. Let’s try baseball.”
Bottom
line – avoid comparisons that may discourage a student-athlete to stick with a
sport they love to play.
