I am exactly one day younger than the current captain, Jesse Wagstaff. The only 3 differences between him and I are around 60 kg, 60 cm and 6 rings. I have followed the Wildcats since I can remember. Watching guys like Watto and Ellis in the old white or gold jerseys, before turning to the likes of Grace and Crawford in red in the 90's. I am getting old! One thing I will add at this point is I was born with spina-bifida. When I was around 8 years old, I was introduced to the sport of wheelchair basketball. I was immediately hooked! Sure, watching Ellis, Watto, Grace etc on tv is great. But it does something else for mental health when someone sees something cool and can participate. Playing the game, even at the state league level, kept my mind on something other than the battles of life, even if we lost the game or I played badly that night. I would end up playing until I was about 33 years old.
When I was 11, I needed a plate inserted into my left hip. This would be my first surgery where I was informed and included in the entire planning process. This was also the point where I was told from my orthopaedic surgeon I will never be able to walk, much less play pro sport. He went on to say that neither will 99.5% of people play pro sports either. This one was a tough pill to swallow for me. It took me years to get around this. But when I eventually did, I turned my attention from playing to the possibility of being the coach or CEO for Perth Wildcats. Over the next few years, life happened and threw a lot of curve balls my way. I would lose focus of this main dream of mine. Until a lazy Friday afternoon in August 2016.
I was scrolling twitter after a mental health collapse only a few months after my grandfather died. His loss left a devastating blow to me and I had nothing left to give, much less a reason to get out of bed. That was the one thing I desperately needed at that point. On this Friday afternoon, I saw a tweet from the Perth Wildcats. They were seeking applications for game night volunteers, ahead of the upcoming basketball season. My brain came alive for the first time in a long time. I can do that, I said to myself. I scrapped together a bad version of my CV, frantically messaged a couple of friends asking if they would be a reference and submitted an application for the role.
A few days later, I was offered a time for a first interview. I found the venue, the Bendat Basketball Centre, where I had never been before. I then stumbled my way through the first interview. That is still my opinion of this one. I was a nervous wreck. A few days after this, I was emailed an offer for a second interview with their CEO.
The day of the interview, I needed to reschedule a medical appointment and gracefully, they let me, even at the last minute. It was a rainy day and I dress practically. Therefore I was not wearing my suit, but rather my waterproof Fremantle Dockers jacket. Even with the rescheduled appointment and everything flowing on time for me, I still only just made it in time. Through a reasonably lengthy interview, I would be offered a voluntary role, not on game night, but in the administration with Perth Lynx, the women's team. I would then be within the Perth Wildcats and Perth Lynx office every week throughout the 2016/2017 season, contributing my skills and effort wherever required on the day. It showed me the true hard work that goes on with a professional sports organisation. It hass also given me a lot more grace with organising my own Dockers memberships! Within this role, I would be challenged, trusted, pushed but ultimately, an experience that will positively stick with me until the day I die. One of my biggest learnings is the importance of having others things to get away from it when the stress gets too much. I learned that these people are just normal people with cool jobs and incredible discipline. They hurt, stress, mess up just like all people do.
Mentally speaking, I am an empath, meaning I feel too much. This means I need to control myself around high stress situations. No point telling me not to feel emotional. I am softer than scrambled eggs and I am at peace with that. It is what makes me me. As a result of the above mentioned, Wildcats and Lynx basketball is not just another game for me, like other sports games are for me. I still know a lot of people within the Wildcats organisation.
This particular season had a huge amount of change and challenges. New ownership, new coaching staff, something called Covid 19 and as normal in basketball, some new players in and old players out. This outstanding club has made playoffs for 35 years in a row, since 1986, the year I was born. It's literally all I have ever known. Life, death, taxes, Wildcats in the playoffs. Due to a few unexpected losses, they found themselves in a difficult position: a must-win game against one of the most potent offenses in the league, minus one of our most efficient offense players, due to injury. Win and the streak continues and we all breathe a sigh of relief. Unfortunately they lost. By just a couple of points, in overtime, no less. I couldn't hold it in. I cracked like a raw egg and the tears flowed, even sitting right here watching from my laptop at home. It was a tough and bitter pill to swallow. For all the reasons I have said, for me, Wildcats and Lynx basketball is never going to be just another game again. I immediately switched my thoughts to some friends working there for their futures. Such is the high stress nature of pro sport, especially when something like a 35 year playoff streak is over. It was a rough night sleep for me.
A mate whom I have worked with there messaged me last night. He said he is ok because he knows the nature of pro sports. I hope this statement is all there is to it. This has helped me resolve it as well, so thank you for that mate.
To this day, I still hold on to a dream to be the first disabled coach in the NBL.
To finish, my hope now is in a positive way, this loss can lift the heavy pressure of continuing the playoff streak off the shoulders of everyone. It's a new day to start again. Bring on season 2022/23!
Giving up is not an option,
Perry
