Last night I watched the television series, 30 for 30, on ESPN about N.C. State’s head coach in the 1980’s, Jim Valvano. If you do not already know, “Jimmy V” led the Wolfpack to the 1983 NCAA Basketball Championship. What made him an even more remarkable coach is that he was able to do this while battling bone cancer. Coach V’s famous saying, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up”, has stuck with his former players throughout their entire adult life. That motto is even the phrase for the Jimmy V Cancer Foundation. One of the things I picked up from the documentary last night was how he had full faith in all of his players. He was notoriously known for having his players the foul at the end of a close game, even if they were down.  A former ‘Pack player, Lorenzo Charles, stated that after his team fouled, he then was fouled and forced to call time out. His two free throws were the determining factor on whether or not N.C. State would win the game. Charles said he remembers Coach V telling the huddle, “after Lorenzo sinks both these free throws, we are going to win this game.” The funny thing is Lorenzo Charles told ESPN that he was terrible at free throws. For a coach to have that much confidence in his players in such a close-call game really demonstrated the type of person Jim Valvano was. He loved his team. He was completely there mentally, even through his dying, and was able to connect with every player on a level that many coaches will never reach with their team. He was loved for his passion of the game. If you have not watched this documentary, you should. It will move you in so many ways!