With so many well wishers and out pouring of love towards me I'd like to write this to Norcalpreps.
I am a basketball coach in Northern California.
On Monday Jan. 9 at 6:30pm I suffered an acute heart attack with 90% of my heart being blocked and unable to function. Having dinner at that very moment with a good friend Bobby Santos, who is a professional boxing trainer, is one of the reasons why I am still alive. However, Jesus Christ is the reason I'm still here.
When doctors and nurses are screaming at you "fight for your life and fight for you wife" the enormity of the situation and subsequent impact on your emotions and new lens on life can't be adequately articulated.
The very night at the ER and ICU our basketball community which we all are members responded with incredible love . Coaches, current/former players, players from OTHER teams, refs , college coaches and parents all showed up to Kaiser for me and my family. It compels me to remind everyone of the greatest gift given to all of us . The gift of life. With that precious gift many of us have chosen basketball as our passion. Afford me the opportunity to remind all of us to honor the game.
So often our competitive juices, desire to win state or be the best in the area cloud our judgment and overall compassion and/or decency towards one another. Negative energy towards opponents, opposing coaches, high school student-athletes, referees or beat writers is not honoring the game we love so much . It's not respecting our chosen profession and recognizing how blessed we are to be coaches, assistant coaches, players, refs, writers, student managers and so on. I've been guilty of such behavior before but I'll never do it again not after almost losing my life.
Even with 27 years in high school coaching it was Jan. 9th that truly convinced me that any negativity towards another person in this game is simply not recognizing how fortunate we are to be a part of Northern California athletics and it's certainly not properly using our gift of life.
I'll be back on the sidelines again trying to win WCAL games and trying to get to the state championship, but more importantly I'll be thankful for every moment of life as a Christian, husband, father and basketball coach.
I am a basketball coach in Northern California and very proud to be among all of you.
Thank you for all the love shown towards me.
Peace in Him,
Mark DeLuca
I am a basketball coach in Northern California.
On Monday Jan. 9 at 6:30pm I suffered an acute heart attack with 90% of my heart being blocked and unable to function. Having dinner at that very moment with a good friend Bobby Santos, who is a professional boxing trainer, is one of the reasons why I am still alive. However, Jesus Christ is the reason I'm still here.
When doctors and nurses are screaming at you "fight for your life and fight for you wife" the enormity of the situation and subsequent impact on your emotions and new lens on life can't be adequately articulated.
The very night at the ER and ICU our basketball community which we all are members responded with incredible love . Coaches, current/former players, players from OTHER teams, refs , college coaches and parents all showed up to Kaiser for me and my family. It compels me to remind everyone of the greatest gift given to all of us . The gift of life. With that precious gift many of us have chosen basketball as our passion. Afford me the opportunity to remind all of us to honor the game.
So often our competitive juices, desire to win state or be the best in the area cloud our judgment and overall compassion and/or decency towards one another. Negative energy towards opponents, opposing coaches, high school student-athletes, referees or beat writers is not honoring the game we love so much . It's not respecting our chosen profession and recognizing how blessed we are to be coaches, assistant coaches, players, refs, writers, student managers and so on. I've been guilty of such behavior before but I'll never do it again not after almost losing my life.
Even with 27 years in high school coaching it was Jan. 9th that truly convinced me that any negativity towards another person in this game is simply not recognizing how fortunate we are to be a part of Northern California athletics and it's certainly not properly using our gift of life.
I'll be back on the sidelines again trying to win WCAL games and trying to get to the state championship, but more importantly I'll be thankful for every moment of life as a Christian, husband, father and basketball coach.
I am a basketball coach in Northern California and very proud to be among all of you.
Thank you for all the love shown towards me.
Peace in Him,
Mark DeLuca
