Want to be like Tiger Woods? Well, you have to REALLY want it
On today’s sports front of the print edition of the Morning News, we begin a three-day report on diversity in golf.When Tiger Woods broke on to the PGA Tour in 1996 and won his first Masters by a record 12 strokes in 1997, it was believed that success would lead to a flood of African-Americans taking up golf and more joining Woods in the professional ranks.
While Woods’ success has probably led to more African-Americans on golf courses, the number of African-Americans in the sport 13 years after Woods turned pro isn’t even close to what the world had anticipated.
Today, Woods is the only African-American on the PGA Tour and there are no African-Americans on the LPGA Tour. (For other startling numbers on diversity in the game, pick up today’s sports section.)
With golf being an expensive sport to play, a lack of funding for minority golfers is often cited as the No. 1 reason we don’t see more minorities on the PGA Tour. And while it does indeed take money to pursue any sport, I don’t believe a lack of funds keeps anyone from realizing their potential in sports.
Instead, I firmly believe people fail to realize their fullest potential in sports because they don’t chase the dream hard enough. That’s not saying everyone can be a great amateur athlete or professional athlete. But if a child shows the kind of raw ability that Tiger Woods showed as a toddler and doesn’t do something with it, then I believe it’s more a lack of desire than a lack of dollars.
If a child shows unusual talent and desire for a sport, I believe that desire has to be shared and nurtured by everyone in that child’s life. Though Tiger Woods might very well be the most talented golfer we’ve ever known, he hasn’t accomplished all he’s accomplished on talent alone nor on just his desire alone.
Tiger Woods’ parents saw something unusual about his ability and desire for golf. They nurtured Woods’ desire for the game and pursued his dreams as a family. Woods wanted it and his parents wanted it for him.
Prior to Woods becoming wealthy beyond comprehension, the Woods family wasn’t poor but they weren’t the richest family, either. They sacrificed and even took out second mortgages for Woods to play. But more important than money, Woods’ parents took the time to make sure Woods had opportunities to play and excel. Every drive, every fairway wood, every sand shot, every putt, Woods’ parents were in his gallery.
The Tiger Woods we marvel today was created by talent, desire, dedication and support from everyone in his life. If you know of a can’t-miss athlete that never made it big, odds are they were lacking one of those four things more so than money.
Before someone cites a bank account as a reason for failure in sports, they should probably look in the mirror to see if a Tiger Woods is staring back.
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on 04/02 at 03:39 AM
