Commitment
By Rodney Bullard
CEO The Same House PBC | Former Senior Executive at Chick-fil-A / Global CSR, ESG and Marketing Leader | Best-Selling Author | Former AUSA | Former Air Force JAG l Corporate and Non-profit Board Director
“Commitment is an act, not a word.”- Jean-Paul Sartre
Becky Hammon made history on December 30, 2020, when she became the first female to act as a head coach for an N.B.A. team. As the assistant coach, she filled in for San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich after he was ejected from the game for arguing with a referee. For Hammon, it was a great moment in her coaching career, but for females worldwide, it was a significant moment. And for women athletes and coaches, it broke down another barrier between men and women in sports.
Hammon’s entire life shows a commitment to her love of basketball. In high school, her father told her that at only 5’6 tall, her chances of playing in high school were slim. As she’s said in several interviews, “I’ll never be able to compete athletically,” she remembers realizing, “so I have to learn how to beat people with my mind.” This led her to play for Colorado State, set records in 6 categories, and then to a 16-year career playing in the WNBA.
While recovering from a torn A.C.L., she reached out to Coach Popovich and asked if she could sit in during some of his practices to observe. Soon she was invited to coaching meetings to analyze film and discuss team strategy. In 2014, she retired from the WNBA and made history when the Spurs offered her a full-time assistant coaching position. Her dream is to become a head coach in the N.B.A.
By committing to follow her dreams despite the challenges, she is blazing a new trail for women in athletics. She is building a bridge of possibility for young girls who aspire to work in often male-dominated industries. Once this bridge is built, other people can use it to cross over to something that was once unimaginable.
Declaration: Today I will be committed to making something unimaginable happen.