It is often heard that NBA players are referred to as being "gifted". One coach said that he believes that you have to be gifted to make it to the NBA. While this might be true, what must not be forgotten is that the players who make it to the NBA are also exceptionally hard working - dedicating many hours per day to repeating and perfecting some skill enhancing drills and practices. This dedication to hard work does sometimes blur the lines between a basketball gift and skill. In some cases, the commitment to hard work even allows the player with skill to surpass the gifted one.

So why enter this debate???

 I believe that it is becoming increasingly important to engage our Vikings players in these types of discussions, as we need to start thinking, speaking, and understanding different aspects of basketball. This would make us more effective players on the court. As could be seen in some of our Finals games this year, many players are improving their on-court skills to become more competitive, and they definitely want to be pushing Vikings all the way. We, on the other hand, are trying to increase our intensity on defense, and allow the game to be played more in transition. This implies lots more running, but if we are running without a purpose and understanding, then we are running to our demise.

The greatest strength of Montana Vikings will always be that our teams are made up of a diverse group of players. Diverse in the obvious sense, but also diverse in terms of basketball ability. If you look at the U/16 Boys Final. Vikings should never have even been in the game - besides Siya and Jonothan, the rest of team really should not be competing with the SA Squad heavy Sports School. Yet we lost narrowly in Game 3. The same happened last year with our Ladies 1 team - where our infamous "liquorice all sorts" took the much fancied Cape Tech to a Game 3.

Being a diverse group of players, allows the lesser skilled players the opportunity to improve when they accept their responsibility and contribution to the team. On the other hand, it should also make the more skilled players in the team better, because by accepting their responsibility and contribution to the team, they become the leaders that their better skill level allows them to be. So we are no longer just a team playing together, but a collective group who each understands their responsibility and contribution to the team. So if you look at the team in this light, the following questions come to mind: Should we all practice at the same level? Who should be practicing harder?

In most NBA teams, when practice is done, there are still players who remain behind afterwards to put in the extra bit. Either before or after practice. These are gifted players, who probably do not need to, but realize the need to, because of their responsibility and contribution to the team. This answers the above questions, because it should be the more skilled players who practice harder. If this should happen, imagine how much more our lesser skilled players would improve. At the moment, I believe that the lesser skilled players are practicing hard, but because the level of practice is not continually being pushed higher by the more skilled players, these players development is slower than what it could be. Our Super League success is partly due to the fact that in some practices this year, we had our more skilled players pushing the bar, but not often enough.

So we come back to gift. The challenge with having a basketball gift, is that it allows you the opportunity to be better than your team mates without having to apply much effort. So, much like the academically gifted learner in an average class, you can become bored and then get used to operating at 60% because that is all you need to be the better player at practice. Vikings has been blessed with a few gifted players over the years. Interestingly, it is mainly these players who do not play anymore - Fabian Scott, Charlene Grill, Thebo Seabe. These are players who undoubtedly are gifted. However, of our achievers, are more hard working skilled players - Chris Gabriel, Shavaan Sheldon and Rafeegah Fataar are obvious examples that come to mind.

We are entering a period of basketball where you need to earn every inch you want on the basketball court.Vikings can be successful in this era if we start making each other earn every inch at practice. Whether you believe that you have a gift or skill, it is only of any value to you and your team if it is accompanied by a commitment and dedication to hard work. Montana Vikings will always strive to bring out the best in all our members. The question remains - What are you going to do about it?????

Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.

- John Wooden