SHUTOUT

 My name is Patrick DeBolt, assistant coach at Duke University, and president of Shutout Lacrosse. I’m not here today to tell you to come to my lacrosse lessons, camps, or tournaments. I’m here today to talk to you about a very sensitive subject that I believe that everyone in the room can relate to in one way or another.  By most definitions, the word Shutout broadly refers to any game in which one side does not score.  I strongly believe there are a number of valuable definitions to the word which prompts me to dig much deeper into its meaning. During my speech I would like you to create your own meaning of the word Shutout. Coming from a small town in Waterloo NY, I’m not going to lie; there is not much to do. I was raised to learn that the most simple things in life such as family, friendship, loyalty, and honesty mattered most. I learned that all the money in the world can’t make a person happy unless that person can look themselves in the mirror with a sense of satisfaction at the end of each day.  I learned that life is what you make of it and with a good attitude and a lot of hard work you will get to places that you could only have dreamed of before.  I learned about the little things and to never take anything for granted, living everyday as if it were my last. Most importantly, I found a way to Shutout everything negative to find my own edge in life.

At an early age I was brainwashed to love the game of Lacrosse.  I can recall a number of times that I was grounded and locked in my room for hours for being the most innocent child around, image that. I laugh whenever I think about this because every time I was sent to my room there in the right back corner was a lacrosse stick.  I knew this stick was not there because of my placing it there, since my mom didn’t allow sticks in the house.  In my room there was no phone, TV, or computer.  All I had was an old wooden stick, a rubber ball, and a small radio.  Throughout my child hood I spend countless well deserved hours locked in my room, jamming out to music and putting holes in the walls while trying to come up with the newest, coolest stick tricks to show my friends.  After my fun was over I was always greeted by my dad whom blessed me with his father speech about life.  This was always followed by a heavy duty “to do” list that consisted of the most miserable chores that you could think of completing.  Just to give you an idea, my dad cut down seven big trees around my house one time. Instead of cutting the trees close to the ground like most people do, he left the tree stump about a foot and a half visible above the ground. He handed me an ax and said, “The sooner you cut these stumps out and cover them with dirt the sooner you will be able to see your friends.”  Clearly underestimating the task before me I thought to myself, “This is great… I‘ll be hanging out with my friends in no time.” I swung that ax as hard as I could for about two minutes and quickly found out that I was getting nowhere. It was literally like taking a cup of water out of the ocean with every swing.  I swear to you with every pass of the ax I grew more and more dangerous. The words and thoughts that were going through mind would leave any mother in tears. The first day of chopping resulted in me eventually quitting and telling my dad to go to the moon. I let my emotions get the best of  me and my dad quickly corrected me by grounding me for another month and  locking me in my room for the reminder of the night, where I proceeded to head bang to music and put holes in my walls with lacrosse balls. Over the next four days of constant wood chopping, I bled from my hands, I cried, and I said and thought inappropriate things. I was physically and emotionally drained.   During the second day I even walked to my Grandfather’s house while crying. I told my grandfather about the horrible father I had. My grandfather laughed then wiped my tears and wrapped me in his warm arms. He sat me down and asked me how many stumps I already completed. I replied, “One and a half.” He replied, “How did you feel when you finished the first stump?” I quickly fired back with a big attitude, “I still have a lot of wood to chop, like five and a half more to go.” My grandfather asked me to trust him. He told me first to Shutout everything that was provoking my anger, take a big breath, and use all of my anger in a positive way. He went on to tell me that he didn’t care what I did yesterday and that he wanted to know what I could do today.

After my pep talk all I wanted to do was prove to myself and to my family that I was not a quitter.  I was able to swallow my pride and continued to work with a new sense of desire. I managed to finish all of the stumps within four days. With every swing I became physically weaker, but emotionally stronger.  I found ways to Shutout everything, including my thirst and my physical and emotional fatigue.  I turned every negative into a positive, as explosive energy flowed throughout my body and fueled the axe with each and every swing. Throughout those four days all I focused on were the little things.  Yeah, I learned how to cut a stump out of the ground, but more importantly, I learned how to position my feet, hands, and arms to better swing the axe. I created strategies to better chip the wood away. I learned that with a lot of hard work and trial and error, a person can work towards becoming more successful one swing at a time.  I also learned that there is no better feeling then a sense of accomplishment, regardless of the task. Just like the stick that was mysteriously placed in the corner of my room, I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason.

 As you all know, there is no such thing as a perfect person or family. We all face problems with our families, friends, and even ourselves. At times we have all feel the depression of hitting rock bottom with no hope for a way out. There are a number of different reasons that people stop pursuing their goals.  Throughout my life I have ran into almost every problem a person my age can run into. Despite certain setbacks, lacrosse has been a staple in my life that acts as supernatural agent.  It helps me to Shutout obstacles in order to find a way to make everything work, regardless of how bad a situation may seem. Everything is related. It doesn’t matter if you’re chopping a stump out of the ground or running for president. If you can’t Shutout adversity and focus on the little things, you will never reach your full potential.

 As we grow older we start to understand why be became the person we are. I can honestly tell everyone in this room that I am thankful for my family and friends because they let me know everyday that trying is not good enough. I’m constantly reminded everyday that it does not matter what you did yesterday. What does matter is to learn from yesterday in order to be the best possible person that you can be today. Respecting the past, and giving all that you have in the present will lead to a happy future. I live each and everyday of my life with a Shutout attitude.  As long as the world continues spinning, there are always going to be negative people telling you that you are incapable of overcoming obstacles. I have always thrived on proving those people wrong, and making big time plays both on and off the field.  Setting and achieving your own goals is something that no one can take away from you.

One time a very successful banker asked me, “What do you make coaching and running these lessons, camps, and tournaments? “ I looked at the man with a blank stare and said, “I make kids work harder then they have ever worked before. I make them believe in themselves and make them understand that trying is not good enough. I make them understand the meaning of family, friendship, loyalty, and honesty. I make them understand that life is what you make of it and with a good attitude and a lot of hard work you will get you to places that people could only dream of achieving. I teach these children about the little things and remind them to never take anything for granted, living everyday as if it were their last. I make the children form their own meaning of the word Shutout to protect them from the negative world around them, as well as make them set goals that send them to the best colleges around. At the end of the day I make a difference and that is all that matters to me. Sir, what do you make?”

I can’t make anyone in the room do anything that they don’t want to do. All I can ask is for you to trust me. Like my grandfather once told me, “I don’t care what you did in the past; all I care about is what you’re going to do today.” Please take this time to think about everything I have said and reevaluate what Shutout means to you. I want you to think about all of the negative setbacks and heartaches you have faced during your life span and then think about all the positive, well deserved accomplishments that you have had by Shutting out everything and trusting yourself. At the end of the day the word Shutout is what you make it. Just like the edge of an ax, you need to look yourself in the mirror and find out what gives you an edge that drives you to have a relentless attitude, that eliminates all distractions, and that emphasizes the little things in an effort to make big time plays both on and off the field.

          On my back, from the top of my neck straight down my spine, is the Shutout “S.” It’s a symbol that holds a special meaning, helping me to be relentless each and everyday.  It reminds me of why people are successful and why people crumble. It is a symbol of life and ones true self. In the game of the lacrosse the word Shutout symbolizes relentless coaches, big times plays that make the fans go wild, and the sweet sound of success as you look around and know that you did all the little things. Just the like the word Shutout, life is what you make of it. It is my goal to help the youth grow and have every opportunity that they can to hold a lacrosse stick in their hands. If a child can first understand the small things in life, lacrosse will be a walk in the park. I hope everyone has enjoyed my speech and I hope everyone finds some way to incorporate Shutout into their life. Please wear the Shutout name proudly and share my story with others where ever you go.

Finally I’d like to read one of my favorite poems which beams the true meaning of Shutout.

When you get all you want and you struggle for self,
and the world makes you king for a day,
then go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say.
For it isn't your mother, your father or wife
whose judgment upon you must pass,
but the man, whose verdict counts most in your life
is the one staring back from the glass.
He's the fellow to please,
never mind all the rest.
For he's with you right to the end,
and you've passed your most difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend.
You can fool the whole world,
down the highway of years,
and take pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
if you've cheated the man in the glass.