Beating Average

Kenneth Kollasch

Description

Like Og Mandino, "Beating Average" is a heart-altering allegory that gives readers the inspiration and keys to change their story from Ordinary to Extraordinary.
In their senior year of high school, Average is chasing after Everyone while Hopeful is relentlessly pursuing his dreams after high school. Mentor and Encourager, coaches of the basketball and volleyball teams, do their best to steer the destinies of these beloved students to learn as much about life as they do about their sport. As the race from high school to real life is coming to a close, the need for “Beating Average” is at hand for Everyone, and an unexpected “Story to Extraordinary” is written.

Sujets

• Religious
• Extraordinary
• Mentorship
• Faith
• Hope
• Christian
• Dreaming
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 24 novembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664283695
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

BEATING AVERAGE
A STORY TO EXTRAORDINARY
KENNETH KOLLASCH


Copyright © 2022 Kenneth Kollasch.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8370-1 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8371-8 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8369-5 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022921104
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 11/23/2022
CONTENTS
Prologue
 
Chapter 1 Believe
Chapter 2 Headstrong
Chapter 3 Affirmation
Chapter 4 Decisive
Chapter 5 Faith
 
Preface
Prologue: The Average Backstory
 
Chapter 6 Believe: Our Heart’s Hidden Treasure
Chapter 7 Headstrong: How We Think Determines Victory or Defeat
Chapter 8 Affirmation: Words of Warfare
Chapter 9 Decisive: A Commitment & Covenant Lifestyle
Chapter 10 Faith: Not By Me, But By The Spirit
 
Epilogue
DEDICATED TO…
My Heavenly Father who gets all the glory,
my sweet Caroline who gives me all her love,
& Francisco and Florene Gonzalez who have been beating average for over 80 years.
PROLOGUE
“Hey, Hopeful! Are you coming this Friday? Average invited us over for another house party he’s throwing. Everyone is going to be there. I know you like her!”
“Seriously? It seems like Average always plans something fun when I’ve got important things going on. You said Everyone is going to be there?”
“Of course she’ll be there! I mean, who doesn’t want Everyone at their party? Although, I hear Average has a thing for Everyone too. He’s been doing all he can to keep her around.”
“Yeah, I heard. Thanks for reminding me, Gossip. You always seem to know what’s going on around school. What time is Everyone getting there? Maybe I can skip out of film practice early…again.”
“Didn’t coach threaten to bench you last time you did that?”
“Ehh, Mentor wouldn’t bench me. He has started me all year and Saturday’s game is going to be easy anyways. Besides, weren’t you just the one trying to convince me to go to this party?”
“Okay! Okay! Point taken. Everyone is going to be there at ten o’clock this Friday. I’ll let her know you’re coming.”
“Hold on! I said maybe I will be there. I’ll think about it and let you know later tonight.”
“All right, I will talk to you later Hopeful…oh, by the way, do you really think you are going to play professional after you graduate?”
“No doubt in my mind. I will catch you later, Gossip.”

“What was I thinking!” exclaimed Hopeful as he stormed through the front door slamming it behind himself in obvious frustration.
“Woah! Look who’s home early!” snickered Jealous. “I guess Everyone preferred Average instead, huh? You know, Hopeful, if you didn’t hype up your expectations so often you wouldn’t be disappointed all the time.”
“Well look who’s trying to be an encouraging brother for a change,” snapped back Hopeful with angry sarcasm. “Actually, Everyone and I had a great time. She even said she would come see me play at tomorrow’s game.”
“What is with the long face then?” interrupted Jealous. “I’m sure Everyone already knows Average doesn’t come close to you on the court. If I were you I would be feeling pretty good right about now.”
“Coach called while I was at the party. I am benched…for the whole tournament!” yelled Hopeful as he started stomping up the stairs. “Looks like she’ll be watching Average instead the whole weekend…just my luck.”
“Ouch. That is pretty harsh,” Jealous responded. “I bet she won’t think anything of it. I mean, what could Everyone really see in Average? He’s nothing special.”
Hopeful retorted with a nervous chuckle, “Ha! You would be surprised how many of the other girls have fallen for this guy. It’s like he’s got a spell or something that lures them all in.”
“You are overreacting. You know that everybody wants to be Hopeful,” jeered Jealous, “but seriously, I wouldn’t worry about it.”
As the door finished closing to his room Hopeful responded under his breath, “We will see about that…”

“Hey! Hold on! Wait up a sec.”
After signaling her friends to go warm up the car Everyone looked back with a chuckle, “Okay, okay, but you’ve got to be quick before the girls leave without me. Got one last story to tell, Average?”
“Ha! Not this time! I just wanted to say thanks for coming again tonight. I’ve really enjoyed having you around more lately. I know this crowd and scene is new to you, and I just wanted to make sure you felt like you fit in.”
“You’re funny! I appreciate that, Average. You always make me feel comfortable. This was definitely different from our volleyball team parties!”
“Good. I’m glad you feel accepted here,” said Average inching forward toward Everyone to close the distance. “I can’t even imagine what you girls do at the volleyball team parties.” finished Average jokingly.
“Let me tell ya! Three things are guaranteed to happen every time: more volleyball, more drama, and more listening to Dreamer talk about how she’s going to make it big one day,” said Everyone, showing some of her worn out emotions.
Average couldn’t help blurting out, “I know what you mean! The basketball guys are the same way—especially Hopeful. Now you know why I started hosting my own parties.”
“What’s wrong with Hopeful?” questioned Everyone, making it apparent to Average that he had made a mistake in openly slighting his teammate. “I think he’s a really great guy.”
“Oh! I didn’t mean it that way,” answered Average trying to backpedal away from the awkward subject. “I think he’s great too. It just kind of bothers me that all he ever wants to do or talk about is going professional one day! It’s like he really believes he is going to do all those things he talks about—just like you were saying about Dreamer!” Average said grasping for some kind of common ground.
“Yeah, I guess he and Dreamer are alike in that way,” reflected Everyone, pausing to think about what she just admitted. “Anyways, I really have to get running now. Thank you for the invitation, Average!” concluded Everyone as she scooted out the door and made her way to the car.
“My pleasure! There’s always an open invitation for Everyone to come to my parties!” shouted Average, trying to end the night on a good note.

“What’s wrong, honey? You’re usually pretty excited this time of year. It’s the start of a new basketball season!” prodded Encourager trying to change the mood.
“Thank you for the enthusiasm sweetheart, but it’s not exactly kicking off the way I had planned.”
“You mean to say that the best basketball coach in the entire state isn’t perfect?” she responded playfully. “I am shocked!”
Mentor, obviously affected by her affection, cracked a smile and whispered in jest to himself, “Well, I didn’t say I wasn’t perfect.”
“I heard that!”
“Wow! If only Hopeful would listen half as well as you can hear, he’d be playing this weekend!” exclaimed Mentor before realizing he let out a little too much.
“Come again?” she asked, sticking her head back into the room he was sitting in. “Must have been a pretty wild film practice for your star player to have gotten hurt.”
“So much for the best basketball coach in the state, huh?” poked Mentor, admiring his comeback to his smirking wife. “No, he made the decision to bench himself this weekend.”
Her face turned serious as Encourager thought out loud, “That is a pretty interesting decision coming from the senior who has been working and dreaming all his life to play in the NBA one day. I wonder, if I were him, why would I make that decision?”
Shaking his head Mentor explained, “He is in a war, honey. Some battles you win, some battles you lose. I just pray he takes my advice before it is too late.”
“What did you tell him? Did you share your story with him? I bet that would help him.”
“I did and I’m sure it will. I told him life isn’t made of what you’re given, it is made from what you do with what you’re gifted—that is what makes all the difference.”
Wrapping her arms around Mentor and with a kiss on the cheek, she said softly, “Well done, sweetheart. I’m proud of you. Award or not, moments like those are what make you the best coach in the world.”
Through all the warmth of the moment Mentor still found his mind drifting off. He could not help circling around the same thought, a lot can happen in just one season…
CHAPTER
1
BELIEVE
“One shot down…only one more to take this game into overtime,” said the radio broadcaster building the suspense. “They’ve clawed their way back from being down by ten points just a few minutes ago.”
The second announcer jumped in, “It has been an exciting climax to th