Frater Marks and basketball

This cannot be real, I thought. How does he do that? I had just stepped into the basketball court, a new student, wanting to learn more about basketball, to me a new sport, and I was thinking about practising backboard shots and drop shots. At that moment Frater Marks was the only other one in the court and he paid no attention to me. He was making one drop shot after another, effortlessly. Swish swish swish. From close to the basket, and from much further away . . . swish swish swish. “Frater Marx, teach me how to do that !” I demanded.
He did. He was like a Zen master. He said, Always keep your eye on the basket. Turn off your thoughts. Bend your knees and keep your eye on the basket and straighten and lean forward and gently toss the ball and let it spin and always keep your eye on the basket. Good, he said, Now try it again . . . and again . . . and again . . . I learned how to swish.

Thank you, Frater Marks.

John Holland
1967 Graduating Class