The Sign
"A lot of people say that they have seen this sign elsewhere, but I do not think they have. I have coached and played in gyms all over America and have NEVER seen this sign."
Coach Herting. The idea for this sign came from Father Beretta. In the sacristies of many Catholic churches around the world, there is a sign that hangs. It reads: pray as if it were your first mass, pray as if it were your last mass, pray as if it were your only mass. We took this saying and applied it ot the BV boys basketball program. Over the years, very few things have had the impact that these signs have. EVERY time a Verot player passes under one of these signs, for the rest of his life, he reaches up and touches (or slaps) the sign.
v+J
Play as if it were your first game.
Play as if it were your last game.
Play as if it were your only game.
M.T.X.E.
The Signs Above the Gym Doors
The Signs
There are only 5 signs in existence: above the door leading from the hallway to the Nevins Gym, above (inside) the door of room 710, Above (inside) the door of the boys' locker room, above the door leading out of Father Beretta's office, and on Coach Herting's patio.
**At the banquet each year, Fr. Beretta presents each senior with a "mini-sign" to hang above their dorm room door.
What the Sign Means
To Current BV Players:
The signs are a reminder of how special the experience is. Not only playing the game, but hanging out with the coaches and the other guys. It is something that they will never experience again. It reminds them that eventually it will be your last game and you would do anything to have one back.
To Former BV Players:
They slap the sign for 3 reasons:
1) They remember how precious those days were and how much those other guys meant to them.
2) They realize how special those games are to the current players and also realize how their hard work has paved the way for the current players.
3) They realize that in their own lives, they need to live each day with that same commitment to cherish every moment.
