Synopsis
The Balance is a life-changing look at handling life, school, and sports...in that order. This step-by-step guide is written for the student athlete by a student athlete who has seen first hand how so many miss the mark at excelling in all areas of life. Get ready to have your life, mind, emotions, and spirit changed so you can excel with the great opportunity sports provide for the athlete from junior high all the way to college. A special addition entitled 8 Tips for Parents.
About the Author
Marcel Smith is from Detroit, Michigan. He was raised by a single mother who is an entrepreneur. They lived in several places around Metro Detroit. Growing up, he was very close to his mother, and they had a special bond. She told him that he could be whatever he wanted to be. His mom forced him to learn things at a faster pace. He was able to accomplish this, first of all, because he was an only child and, secondly, because he spent so much time by himself. He not only became a quick learner but discovered his passion at the age of three years: basketball. At that early age, he would tell his mom and other family members that he was going to play professional basketball. He became involved with The Family Basketball Organization at eight years old. He attended several different schools, but he got serious about basketball as a seventh grader while playing on the basketball team at Bates Academy, the Jaguars. Trying to find the right fit for showcasing his basketball skills, he chose to attend Detroit Community High School, a charter school in Detroit. He transferred to the Academy of Business and Technology in Melvindale (ABT) with a longtime friend named Michael Talley, Jr., whose father coached there. Mike and Marcel ended up leading the ABT Gators to a Class C State Championship in 2010, despite a death in Marcel’s family and team troubles. After a state championship, Marcel was out to prove doubters wrong during his senior season amid coaches and players leaving. He led the ABT Gators to their first undefeated regular season. But his high school career ended in the regional’s when they lost to their longtime rivals, Consortium Prep. He had a successful high school career and one in the Nike circuit with The Family Basketball Organization. He graduated class valedictorian in 2011. When he signed with the Houston Baptist University, he determined to make the new Division One program a household name. The day after graduation, he went to Houston to get work. He started four years straight as point guard and played under Ron Cottrell at Houston Baptist University. He started over one hundred plus games in his college career, finished in the top ten in HBU history in career assists, three pointers made, and three point percentage. He graduated in three and a half years. He felt led to write this book to help student-athletes all around the world become better-prepared student-athletes and balance school, sports, and life.
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