Decisions Anonymous

I was up to my ears in water, fighting to stay afloat. I was more concerned about not drowning than wondering if I would ever be good enough to lead my team to a championship. Four years later, I can elevate out of the water above my waist and block shots from any direction.

In sixth grade, I was over 6 feet tall with a 78-inch wingspan. The gym was my home and entering high school, basketball was more important to me than academics. That's when my mom ended my basketball career. I pleaded to stay in the game, trying to convince her that NBA riches would pay for my triplet siblings' education. My dad said, "Listen to you mother," which puzzled me since there is no bigger sports fan than he is.

I learned just how much my mom and dad believe education breaks all barriers. In 1954, my grandmother was the first African-American student to graduate with a dental hygienist certificate from her college. My maternal great grandmother finished her high school diploma at age 69 going to night school, while raising six children. My paternal grandfather was the first in his family to be born in the United States as his parents emigrated from Germany and Peru.

In retrospect, my mom's decision changed the trajectory of my high school...