Gary David is human too. by Corrine Javier.

By Corinne Javier (@crinnne)

Gary David is one of the smartest and quickest players today. Gary’s stats reflect scores that, more often than not, make up almost half the baskets converted by his team. Ultimately, he helps keep the PBA exciting and unpredictable.

People gasp whenever Gary weaves through defenders for that crucial basket. They’re awed. His three-point shots persistently spark hope. It has become evident how his teammates entrust the ball with number 20. Call it automatic or second nature. The prospect that Gary will let Powerade down seems improbable.

However, what inspired to see his game in a different and more “human” perspective was when I saw him in the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center one day. It was early. He was shooting jump shot after jump shot. He was alone. It was the morning after another one of his epic games (I think a win over Talk and Text). He should’ve been relaxing at home. Yet surprisingly, he was the only one from his team doing extra work at that hour.

Why would you need to put extra effort after practice when you just scored almost half the baskets of your team?

I had to look twice to realize that it was indeed Gary David, last night’s star, shooting hoops on an empty Moro Lorenzo basketball court.

At that moment, it dawned on me: Gary is “human”. Lame as it may sound, I see these athletes as such superior beings with talents I will never attain. People might argue that he was just lucky enough to be born with such talent. Yet it is through continuous effort, an insane tendency to go the extra mile which all make him precisely the player the PBA praises today.

Work ethic defines the athlete. Discipline differentiates him.

I genuinely see the value. It cannot be reiterated and hammered more into my head by my coaches. The difference an extra ten minutes of shooting can do for me. Or whatever that “little extra” effort is. I often put off this work because of demands and responsibilities of school. We always talk of going the extra mile, but it often ends there. Everyone can say it, but not everyone can own up to it. Talk is cheap.

My leadership falls short because of work ethic. Seeing how Gary David follows through with his role motivates me to do better. Something about his being “human” somehow pushes him to be better every time.

There is always something else – or something more – one can work on to improve as a player. Gary David has reminded me that success is not achieved overnight. Nobody is simply born with magical skills. I must want it terribly enough to push my mind and body to keep working. It’s easy to quit. It’s easy to succumb to the human in me. CJ