Happy Birthday J-Mac
For those of you familiar with the story, know that Jason “J-Mac” McElwain has played a big part in my life and the success of the Greece Athena High School Boys basketball program over the years. Tuesday (October 20th) was Jason’s 32nd birthday, so I wanted to dedicate this #CJJblog to him and share some of his wonderful characteristics with you that exemplify his drive and passion toward life. Enjoy, and make sure you reach out to him and wish him a happy birthday!
- Jason was the only person in my 30+ years coaching basketball who came to tryouts and gave it his all three straight seasons. His ability to persevere and never give up will always stay with me. How do you stay determined and persevere through adversity?
- Work ethic. Once Jason became the team manager, he was ALL IN. The first one to all practices and workouts, the last to leave, and worked extremely hard to help the program succeed.
- Continued commitment to excellence. After graduating High School in 2007 and spending six years coaching with me on my staff, Jason has continued to work hard and shifted his passion toward long distance running. He has run countless marathons and even finished the Boston Marathon in under three hours!
- If enthusiasm, passion, and a positive energy is what you are looking for, look no further than Jason. He brings it every single day and it’s contagious to everyone around him. How is your attitude? Is it contagious?
- Next play mindset. I have never seen anyone as skilled at focusing on the next play as Jason. He never gets too high or too low, he is always ready for what’s coming next. Even on his miracle night back in February of 2006, his first shot when he got into the game was an airball. He stayed focused and proceeded to score 20 points in four minutes! How’s that for keeping a good mindset?
- We > me philosophy. Jason does not tolerate egos and selfish thinkers. If you do not put the team first, you will not get along with him. If you were to ask him to name his highlight of his senior season, he would reference the team success (NYS Section V Champs), not his 20-point performance on Senior Night.
- Service to others. Jason volunteered nine years of his life to the Greece Athena boys basketball program. Three as a student manager, and six as an assistant coach. He dedicated his time, efforts, and energy and I could not be more grateful for his contributions. Happy Birthday, Jason!
Did You Know? Coach Jim Johnson will be delivering a virtual presentation to a group of leaders from Tops Supermarket on October 29th.
Life Tip: “We can all be great, because service leads to greatness, and we are all capable of servicing.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. –
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