January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Athletes are big fish in a small pond
Bermuda is also a very nice place but its lack of size creates an all-too-frequent distorted view of our personal capabilities.
It's easy becoming a big fish in a small pond.
If the pond is small enough, it may not even take a lot of effort to become that big fish since a little bit of talent will often go a long way in a small pond.
The longer a big fish swims in a small pond, the bigger the risk becomes of forming a distorted view.
It happens in all walks of life in Bermuda.
Our cricket team was led to believe, mostly by the players themselves, that they were world class cricketers.
Despite the skills talked about on our local football fields, our football teams do not advance very far when it comes to World Cup qualification.
It's the same in the Bermuda business world too.
The fact of the matter is this - because there are so few of us on this lovely rock that we are so privileged to call home, we tend to think our skills are greater than they are.
Cut
The Bermuda Golf Association recently sponsored Daniel Augustus and Tariqah Walikraam to participate in the Dixie Amateur held at Heron Bay in Coral Springs, Florida. Heron Bay is a former site for the PGA Tour's Honda Classic so it is a real golf course.
The Dixie Amateur is a prestigious 72-hole event, attracts a lot of quality players and is a real tournament.
Daniel and Tariqah earned the privilege to participate in the Dixie by being the Champion golfers of Bermuda in 2009. Our two big fish jumped out of their small ponds and swam with some real fish on a real golf course in a real tournament.
Not surprisingly, neither Daniel nor Tariqah made their cuts, Daniel returning 152 when 144 was required, and Tariqah returning 176 when 162 was required.
Please do not get me wrong here, for what I am saying is not intended as a criticism of either Daniel or Tariqah for they both earned the privilege to play in the Dixie.
My comments are only intended to point out a reality of living in Bermuda for those who aspire to be more in their chosen pursuit, be it sport or be it business.
The bottom line always has been, and always will be, this - if you want to test yourself to see what you've got, you must pack your suitcase and head on out into the real world. It cannot be done from our little paradise for we are far too small, where a little bit of talent can look a lot bigger than it really is.
None of this is to suggest that success on a grand scale cannot be achieved, for it can be. You just have to be hungry enough to go out and get it.[[In-content Ad]]
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