When the Air Comes out of the Ball

By Jr Inman

To some sports is just a hobby. To others, it is a way of life. Athletics have become a primary component of American culture, as well as other cultures throughout the entire world. It provides principles of work ethic, leadership, teamwork, and unity. For the most part, fans cant help but appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears athletes shed during competition. Spectators should value the dedication that enables elite athletes to perform at high levels.
Although championships can be fun to watch, one thing both athletes and fans should understand is that sports dont last forever. Seventy-eight percent of all former NFL players and 60 percent of all retired NBA players face bankruptcy or financial hardship within five years after retirement. The reason for these horrid statistics results from a number of different factors. The most common problem retired players face is their failure to develop a plan that will promote prosperity after they have played their last game.
When the Air Comes Out of the Ball is an inspirational autobiography written by Gerald H. Inman, Jr. It serves to educate readers about both the glamour and rigor of professional sports. This will inspire young people to perceive and utilize their gifts as a window of opportunity to make their wildest dreams become reality.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477291030

Book preview

© 2012 by Jr Inman. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/11/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-9104-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-9103-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012921736

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1 The Young Athlete

CHAPTER 2 The College Student Athlete

CHAPTER 3 Injuries to the Body and Mind

CHAPTER 4 Climbing Over the Hill

CHAPTER 5 AA Counseling (Athletics and Academics)

CHAPTER 6 Goals Grant Greatness

CHAPTER 7 Giving Back

CHAPTER 8 Inmanology 101

CHAPTER 9 The Perks of Being a Ball Player

CHAPTER 10 From Black Kicks to Hard Bottoms

CHAPTER 11 Jr’s Final Thoughts

REFERENCES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank God, who is the head of my life. My parents, Gerald H. Inman Sr. and Deborah Inman, for raising me into the man that I am today. My Grandmother Annie Jewl Williams. May her soul rest in peace. My home church Pilgrim Baptist Church in Nyack, New York, and pastor Reverend Doctor Willie L. Hairston, who has always been there for me with moral support. My high school, Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey, and college, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. These schools provided an institution of learning that I benefited from tremendously.

To all my coaches who have mentored and directed my career. To Lincoln Sessoms, my mentor, role model, and basketball trainer when I was growing up. My head freshman basketball coach Reginald Saint-Rose and my head high school coach Michael Doherty. My AAU coaches Keith and Kevin Smith of the NYC Gauchos, as well as Jimmy Salmon and the entire Playaz basketball club. My college coaches, specifically Gary Waters, who recruited me to Rutgers University, and Coach Fred Hill, who prepared me for life’s adversities and unfortunate mishaps. My physical therapists Evan Chait and Stephen Blayney. To the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., who taught me cardinal principles that will stick with me forever. A personal thanks to Mr. Charles Smith C.E.O. of Professional basketball alumni (www.probasketballalumni.com). To my childhood friends and business partners of Rocktown Enterprise, Inc., and all other friends and family who have stuck by and supported me from day one: thank you!

INTRODUCTION

We all come from different cultures and backgrounds. Within these different cultures are customs that people follow. My upbringing as a middle-class student athlete is one that placed a high degree of importance on both athletics and academics. I often come across those who are nearsighted with regards to their future. They tend not to look ahead into the future and ask themselves, What will I do with my life when the air comes out of the ball? This question is often ignored by those who don’t seem to be able to see their future and what it holds.

Basketball has taught me many valuable lessons. I grasp every lesson I have learned in the same way my palm grasps every dribble I take on the court. Whether moving forward or backwards, I have learned to take every dribble and life experience and use it to guide my intuition towards my personal goals.

When confusion results in missed opportunities, setbacks, and struggles, one must remember to stay focused and stick to the plan. Evaluate your daily activities. Push yourself to provide for your family. There comes a time when every athlete must understand that there is more to life than sprints, drills, warm-ups, and playbooks.

This book will provide insight to the mindset an athlete must have in order to succeed and cross over into the next stage of life. Basketball is just a game, right? Wrong. Basketball is a vehicle that can jumpstart your life while allowing you to venture along paths you can’t even imagine. When you’re young and your parents put the ball in your hands for the first time, it may seem like a circular object with black lines running through it. Then you bounce it for the first time, and you may think, Wow, this seems kind of cool. After your first dribble, you take your first jump shot, and without even realizing it, you are playing the game of basketball.

For children it is a joyful experience. You play once in a while and have fun with your friends around the neighborhood. In this book I will challenge the parents of these kids not only to encourage their offspring to work hard at developing their skills on a daily basis but also to mentor them into developing a game plan that will allow their athletic abilities to grant them opportunities for their future.

I was extremely blessed growing up. I had parents as well as other people in my life who cared about my future and invested time and money towards making sure I was granted the best opportunities for success. My mother, Deborah Inman, has a nurturing, caring spirit that can be felt by all those who come into contact with her. She instilled moralistic values in me that I carry into all of my interactions with people. It is because of her that my humble, selfless attitude has enabled me to help others without the intent of rewards or personal benefit. My father, Gerald H. Inman Sr., played professional football for the San Francisco 49ers, besides being a devout Christian and prominent businessman with over thirty years of experience on Wall Street. He inspired me at a young age to attack every situation with an ambitious attitude. He told me how to be strong and persevere through the whips and scorns of time. Together, they raised me and my sister Jasmine in a middle-class home and provided us with the necessities for being successful and achieving our personal goals.

CHAPTER 1

The Young Athlete

Early in their child’s maturation process, parents often ponder which activities their child can get involved in that would give them a sense of belonging or purpose. As a young African American boy, I experimented with many things that brought out the potential of my innate skills and abilities. Singing, instruments, and recreational sports were some of the pastimes I found most interesting.

As I became more encouraged by the Holy Spirit, I began to realize what I was good at and what I wasn’t. This period in my life also allowed me to visualize the intentions God had for my life.

I first starting playing sports when I was eight. This was something that would affect and direct my future endeavors. My first year playing basketball, I played for the Police Athletic League (PAL) under my father. He was always a demanding coach who stressed hard work and smash mouth defense. In that first year, I didn’t realize the potentiality that stood before me.

Spearheading my passion for the game, my father taught me to approach every game with a serious mindset. I learned how to play every game like it was my last. Basketball became a priority in my life.

I can still remember the first blooper in my career, when I realized just how serious the game of basketball can be. It was a regular season game against our archrivals from Haverstraw, New York. My teammates and I represented Valley Cottage, New York. The fellows on my team knew some of the kids from the opposing team and both teams had a reputation of being at the top of the ranks in the entire league. This game sparked the attention of many in town, who came out to cheer and support both sides. I was a tad bit nervous because K was sitting courtside with her sister Mel and two other girls.

In the third quarter, I had a fast-break routine lay up. Distracted by the cheers from my schoolyard girly friends, I took my eyes off the rim and shot a lay up that barely grazed the front of the rim. Embarrassed, I did pretty much what any other kid would do: I laughed. As I ran back down the court with a smirk on my face, I looked over to my father, who was not pleased by my lackadaisical error. He instantly subbed me out of the game and explained to me why he had made the lineup change. Although