"Notes" of An Elder ― To Dispense Love (A Special Gift Just for You Inside)

Since September 2020, our Friday editions of The Daily Coach have featured “Notes” of An Elder—a treasured collection of insights, wisdom, and life lessons from our co-founder, the legendary “Coach” George Raveling, now 87.

This month, Coach Raveling and The Daily Coach team have used “Notes” of An Elder to offer readers an exclusive inside look at the insights and stories from his highly anticipated book, What You're Made For—co-authored with his friend and modern philosopher Ryan Holiday.

The book officially releases next week on Tuesday, March 4.

As a special gift to The Daily Coach community, here’s a downloadable excerpt from What You’re Made For. Your support and readership over the years have made a lasting, positive impact on us. We’re grateful for you.

Let’s dive into this week’s preview from What You're Made For: Powerful Life Lessons from My Career in Sports—on the testament to the power of love.

…

It was the late 1950s, and I was a senior at Villanova. We were headed to Morgantown to face off against West Virginia University and their hometown hero, Jerry West. Little did I know, this trip would become a defining moment in my life, a testament to the power of love in the face of hatred and fear.

As our train rolled into Morgantown, I couldn't shake the sense of unease that had been building in my gut. This was the South, after all, a place where the color of my skin made me a target, a threat, an outsider. But I tried to focus on the game ahead, on the opportunity to compete against one of the best players in the country.

I fouled out of the game, my dreams of a victory over West shattered. But as I made my way to the bench, something even more remarkable occurred. West chased me down, caught me by the arm, and shook my hand. "Good game," he said, looking me square in the eye. "It was a pleasure playing against you."

That moment marked the beginning of a friendship that would endure for over half a century. Jerry would go on to become an NBA legend, the silhouette behind the league's iconic logo. But to me, he was always the man who had the courage to reach out, to bridge the divide of race and prejudice with a simple act of decency.

Jerry passed away during the writing of this book. When I heard of his passing, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn't control my emotions, couldn't stem the flood of memories and gratitude that poured out of me. I shut off my phone and retreated into myself, trying to make sense of what his loss meant to me, to the world. In the days that followed, as I reflected on Jerry's life and our friendship, I realized that he had taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my life: that love is the most powerful force we possess. That in the face of hatred, of ignorance, of fear, love is the only answer. It is the bridge that connects us, the light that guides us through the darkness.

Jerry West showed me the power of loving those who others deem unlovable. Of extending compassion and respect to those who have been denied it. Of using our privilege and platform to lift up the marginalized and oppressed.

In my own life, I've tried to carry that lesson with me, to be a dispenser of love in a world that so desperately needs it. I've tried to live my life in a way that honors Jerry's example. Because at the end of the day, that's what we're all called to do. To love one another, without reservation or hesitation. To see the humanity in every person we encounter, no matter how different they may seem. To use whatever power and influence we have to make this world a little bit brighter, a little bit more just, a little bit kinder.

That's the legacy that Jerry West left behind. Not just the championships and the accolades, but the way he treated people, the way he used his gifts to make the world a better place. And it's a legacy that we can all aspire to, no matter who we are or where we come from.

…

February 7 ― "Notes" of An Elder ― 10 Steps to Living More Fully Right Now
February 14 ― "Notes" of An Elder ― Forging Your Own Path
February 21 ― "Notes" of An Elder ― To Be a Trailblazer

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1  George Raveling and Ryan Holiday, What You're Made For: Powerful Life Lessons from My Career in Sports (New York: Portfolio, 2025) 54–59.