"Finishing Strong" Player Dies After Hitting Winning Shot!

Wes Leonard dies after hitting winning shot to cap perfect regular season

 A western Michigan high school basketball player collapsed on the court and later died after making the game-winning shot to cap his team's perfect season. Holland Hospital spokeswoman Deb Patterson says 16-year-old Fennville High School basketball player Wes Leonard died Thursday night. A cause of death has not yet been determined.
Patterson says paramedics performed CPR on Leonard before he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Holland Sentinel reported that Leonard had scored the game-winning layup in a 57-55 win over Bridgman in overtime to cap Fennville's 20-0 season. Leonard fell to the ground after teammates and fans rushed the court.

You always hear coaches saying, "Play like it's' your last game, give it everything you've got out there." Well... I can safely say that this young man gave his fans and teammates everything he had, literally. We never know when God is going to call us home. Therefore, we all have to play today like it's our last play. Never leave anything on the court. Give it all you've got and I guarantee that you'll be rewarded for your efforts if not on this earth but more importantly in Heaven above.

 I'm sadden that this young man was only on this earth for a very short 16 years. However, God doesn't make mistakes and it was no accident that Wes was taken so early. Let's learn from this kid's life to remember to leave it all on the floor everyday. When God calls us home we should return to him empty. All of the talents that he put into us should be given away because of the impact that we have made on others by simply knowing us. We've only got one time to pass through this world and it's up to each of us to make the most of the opportunity.

You don't have time to sit around an waste this life that we've been given. Be the best person you can be with what you've been given. Stop comparing your life to other folks because God has given each of us different talents to use while we're here. If you don't use them you'll be held accountable. I just believe that life is a gift, that's why they call it the present and you shouldn't disrespect the giver of the present by not accepting it.  RIP Wes!

Jay Graves
jaygraves@thejagravesreport.com
Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport.com
Information from The Associated Press was used in this article.