HALF COURT!? @LexiRydalch21 drains it for the WIN!

BYU wins 65-62! #BYU #BYUTVSPORTS pic.twitter.com/bwRkArKde8

— BYUtv Sports (@byutvsports) February 12, 2016

Goal to play professional basketball

While it’s common for men to pursue a professional basketball career, it’s not so common for women. It’s because Rydalch had that goal that Rydalch is exceptional. According to her BYU coach, Jeff Judkins,

“In women’s ball it’s a little different. A lot of [players], they think this is the highest they are ever going to get, but Lexi was a pusher and a great leader.”

On April 14, 2016, the effort that Rydalch put into her game paid off. She was drafted into the Seattle Storm as the 26th pick overall in the third round. In a press conference, Rydalch said,

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be drafted by the Seattle Storm. I have followed and watched their program for years and really like how they play. I love the city of Seattle and I’m looking forward to playing for Jenny Boucek, proving myself and hopefully contributing to the team.

With the 26th pick we have selected Lexi Eaton Rydalch from BYU! Welcome to Seattle Lexi! #WatchMeWork #WDraft16 pic.twitter.com/mBvPG55wJt

— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) April 15, 2016

Latter-day Saint faith

But it’s not just her determination to accomplish a goal that many women don’t choose to aspire to that makes Rydalch unique; her devotion to her faith makes her different than so many other athletes and it’s this devotion that has made a difference in her path to the WNBA athlete.

For example, part of the reason that Rydalch chose to attend BYU was because of its religious environment. She says, “I wanted to go to a school that shared my same values and would push me academically and spiritually.” Rydalch then added, “Plus, I knew that [BYU coach] Jeff Judkins simply wins games.”

Furthermore, her LDS faith has taught her to work to be better, helping her to be an exceptional basketball player.

“I’ve always been the type of person who wants to be the best I can be. When I realized I could compete with the best players in the country, I thought ‘Why not go to the next level?’

Furthermore, Rydalch hopes that her experience in the spotlight of athletics will put her in a position to share her faith with others. Simply, she said,

“[Basketball] is a natural platform to be an example of the LDS culture and church. You’re not young forever so you don’t have that opportunity for very long.”

So in one way or another, whether it’s the realization of her goal to play professional women’s basketball or her devotion to the Mormon faith, Rydalch’s uniqueness just serves to make her more unique.

Arnie Ferrin

via Deseret News

In the early days, only eight teams participated in the college basketball tournament, but that doesn’t cheapen the success of player, Arnie Ferrin. He was named Most Outstanding Player in the league in 1944 when his team, the University of Utah, beat Dartmouth 42-40 in the March Madness championship. He later played for the Minneapolis Lakers and served as a mission president in Michigan.

Vernon Hatton

via photos.ldspros

With a half-court buzzer beater during triple overtime, Vernon Hatton led his team to victory over Temple University in the 1958 tournament. He was All-American his senior year and the 9th pick in the NBA draft. Hatton played for the Philadelphia Warriors after college and had a successful career.

Thurl Bailey

via NBA

No one expected the North Carolina State University team to make it far in the March Madness tournament. But Thurl Bailey lead his team to the 6th seed with his scoring and rebounding. They beat Pepperdine, UNLV, Utah, Virginia, and Georgia to compete in the championship game in a Cinderella run. At the time Bailey was not a Mormon but while playing for the Utah Jazz, Bailey came in contact with members of the Church, including his wife who was a Mormon. He says that the example of the Mormons he met made him want to learn more and as he investigated The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he felt that it was true and decided to join.

Danny Ainge

via Deseret News

Losing 49-50 with only seven seconds left in a March Madness game against Notre Dame, Danny Ainge drove the ball past all five Notre Dame players and across the entire court to win the game with a layup as the buzzer rang out. That shot won them the game and lead BYU to it’s only Elite 8 spot. Ainge won the National Player of the Year award his senior season and is considered one of the best players in basketball history.

Shawn Bradley

via BYUtv

Shawn Bradley is one of the tallest basketball players of all time. At 7’6”, it’s hard to stop him, but he is incredible at stopping other players. During his freshman year playing for Brigham Young University, Bradley set the record for blocks with 177 that season. In fact, in the first March Madness game that year, he made a total of 10 blocks, leading the Cougars to victory against Virginia. He later retired from college basketball to serve a mission in Australia, returning instead to the NBA.

Jimmer Fredette

via Mormon Wiki

Jimmer was one of the best scorers in all College Basketball history. In fact, President Obama even said, “[Jimmer Fredette is the] best scorer obviously in the country.” He led the Brigham Young University Cougars to their first spot in the Sweet Sixteen since 1981 by scoring 66 points in wins over Gonzaga and Wofford.

Biggest Comeback in March Madness History

via Deseret News

Fans began leaving the game early when the Brigham Young University Cougars were suffering 25 points behind the Iona Gaels. But the Cougars fought hard for the 14th seed and were able to beat the Gaels 78-72. BYU coach, Dave Rose, “It was tough for us early. But our guys fought. We fought hard. We fought all game long.”

When Brigham Young University, a private school run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, chose not to sanction their soccer team to be in the NCAA even after the Cougars won their seventh national Collegiate Club title in nine years, BYU soccer coach, Chris Watkins, knew it was time to find a new way to push his players. Watkins said that the idea of competing in the Premier Development League came to mind like inspiration.

The Premier Development League, part of the United Soccer Leagues, is the top amateur soccer league in the United States and Canada and it’s uncommon for universities to compete in it. In fact, it’s so uncommon that Brigham Young University is the only university soccer team ever to participate in a level higher than the NCAA. In order to compete in the PDL, the BYU soccer team had leave the collegiate devision of soccer, purchase a franchise and play year-round in this league designed to develop players individually and as a team for professional play.

But this unique prestige has come with it’s unique challenges as well.

When they first entered the minor leagues, the choice seemed like a mistake. The team only won two games in their first season. Watkins commented:

“We just got hammered. We didn’t deserve to win any more than the two.”

But those early failings, what Watkins calls “an all-time low for me personally and for many of our players,” motivated the team to develop in new ways. After consistently winning national championships, the Cougars needed the new challenges that competing in the PDL provided. It’s these obstacles that gave them the resistance they needed to become stronger.

And for Major League Soccer hopefuls, that is exactly what they need. The PDL slogan is “Path to Pro.” But according to current coach, Brandon Gilliam, “[BYU] players aren’t just looking to go professional in soccer.” According to Gilliam, they just want to develop their players the best they can and they believe that the Premier Development League is just the way to do that.

He chews

What’s never in a picture of Mormon people? A wad of chew. But that’s not true of Bryce Harper’s photos.

We are sitting front row right field and the lady behind us threw her phone down and Bryce Harper took this selfie on her phone ⚾️

A photo posted by Ashley Heberling (@aheb) on Jun 2, 2015 at 4:23pm PDT

Mormons believe that just like God wants His children to care for their spirits through things like prayer and going to church, He wants them to care for their bodies. This idea is not new; throughout the Bible there are many examples of faithful disciples choosing to only eat certain foods because of their faith. Mormons still believe that caring for their bodies makes them closer to God. In order to teach us how to care for our bodies, God outlined a code of health. Mormons refer to this as the Word of Wisdom. As part of the Word of Wisdom, God warns against the use of tobacco.

Because Mormons choose to follow the Word of Wisdom and avoid chewing tobacco, the photo of Harper with some chew in his mouth was upsetting to many people. However, Nationals manager, Matt Williams negated the assumptions that Harper was going against his Mormon values. “He doesn’t do [tobacco] but that herbal stuff is available as an alternative to chew tobacco.”

So while it may appear that Harper is choosing to follow the style of his teammates by chewing, in actuality, Harper is keeping his Mormon standards by choosing not to chew tobacco.

He doesn’t like BYU

In an interview with the Major League Baseball Network, Bryce Harper said that his least favorite Mormon stereotype was that all Mormons like Brigham Young University. He admitted that he was one of the Mormons who doesn’t align with this particular assumption:

” I hate BYU. I mean, BYU is just — I can be a fan, but I don’t like them. There are a lot of Mormons that don’t like BYU.”

While many professional Mormon athletes start their career at Brigham Young University, Harper did not. In order to move up his eligibility for the MLB, Harper dropped out of high school after his sophomore year and enrolled in the College of Southern Nevada where he earned his GED. This choice paid off; because he started college earlier, he was eligible for the 2010 MLB draft and he was the number one pick.

He didn’t serve a mission

Another popular image, that of a Mormon missionary, popularized by Broadway musicals or first-hand view, is another picture that Harper just can’t fit into.

Although Harper may have chosen not to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he believes that he can use his fame as a baseball player to be a missionary for his church. He said,

“My mom always told me, ‘You can touch a lot more lives playing baseball and doing good things than you would on a mission.’ It’s very true. Shoot, I’ll tweet about God and get 1,500 retweets and it’s like, that just went to 1,500 people or more.

Even though he’s not fitting into the expected picture of a Mormon by walking streets with a Book of Mormon in hand, Harper does say,

 “I try to be the best walking Book of Mormon I can.”

The Chosen One of Baseball

Bryce Harper may not fit the stereotypical Mormon, but he doesn’t necessarily fit the stereotypical baseball either. He was voted the rookie of the year and is the youngest player ever to unanimously be voted the Most Valuable Player. Whether due to his faith or his skill on the baseball diamond, Bryce Harper is a man breaking molds all over the place and proving that stereotypes are nothing more than assumptions meant to be broken.

Parker did not Serve a Mormon Mission

First of all, Parker didn’t serve a mission. Male members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) are expected to spend two years away from home constantly devoted to finding and teaching people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, church President, Thomas S. Monson, stated, “Every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission.”

However, preparing for a mission and serving one are two different things. While Parker did not serve a mission, he certainly followed President Monson’s counsel to prepare for one. During his high school years, he woke up at 5:30 am to attend religious classes before school, attended three hours of church meetings each Sunday, and regularly visited people to share spiritual messages, all of which would prepare him to serve as a missionary.

His bishop, Eddie Blout, noted that Parker did not take the decision to forgo a formal LDS mission in lieu of pursuing basketball lightly, saying that Parker considered both options through scripture study and prayer. Blout told The New York  Times that although Parker chose not to go door-to-door teaching the gospel, playing professional basketball offers unique opportunities to share his beliefs in a way that formal missionary service would not. Blout stated,

“[Parker] sees himself having an opportunity to be an example for young men in the Church and society. I think he can touch a lot of lives just by being a great person and being in the spotlight.”

This has certainly proven to be true. Parker shares the gospel through his example of high standards, humility, and charity but he also makes time to visit congregations of young people while he’s traveling for games. Recently, while speaking to a group of Latter-day Saint youth in Vancouver, Washington, Parker said,

“You have to keep praying to God, keep reading the scriptures. You have to be nice to people every day. I attribute all my success to God.”

So although the fact that he’s Mormon may come as a shock to people who would expect him to wear a tie and knock on doors, Parker’s choice not to serve a mission is as Mormon as it gets.

I don't post much but when I do, it's only because I feel some type of inspiration that I would like to share with some of you. I just want to thank god for sending people like the missionaries in my life. Words can't express how much joy I get from people who take the time out their days to dedicate themselves just to make you feel some type of peace. I want to challenge everybody out there, to seek some type of peace, for whatever you believe in. You will feel refreshed every single time.

A photo posted by Jabari Parker (@jabariparker) on Nov 17, 2014 at 5:40pm PST

Parker posts photo with Mormon missionaries on Instagram.

Parker is Black

According to Parker, the biggest reason people are surprised that he’s a Mormon is his race. When Katie Couric asked Parker if people thought it was weird that he was Mormon, Parker responded:

“Once [people] think of Mormonism, they look at a white guy; but it’s worldwide.”

Their surprise isn’t unfounded. Out of over six million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States, only a mere three percent are black. This may be a result of past discrimination against people of color in both the United States and the Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not try to cover-up these past discriminatory policies but openly apologizes for and admits their history.

In spite of this past, people of all colors find truth in the Mormon faith. According to Ahmad Corbitt, a writer, African American, and member of the LDS Church,

“We see that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is uniquely able and divinely destined to become the most unifying global organization in the history of the world. Clearly, the Savior’s Church and the gospel it administers transcend race, ethnicity, and culture.”

At any rate, Parker certainly believes that he can’t segregate his professional life from his faith. As he told Sports Illustrated:

“I realize why I’m in the position I’m in right now,” says Jabari. “It’s not because of me. It’s because of God.”

Parker is a Basketball Star

Parker’s natural athletic ability and hard work have made him an immediate winner. In fifth grade, Jabari had five Division I scholarships. As a high school student he led his team to win four straight high school championships and was named The National High School Player of the Year. Parker played for Duke University winning many accolades. He’s been on the cover of Sport’s Illustrated more than once, was the second pick in the NBA 2014 draft, and now plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. However, Parker doesn’t dwell on any of that:

“My mom told me, people are not going to remember you necessarily for your talent and your skills. Life moves on. What’s more important is the person that you are, and that’s what sticks into people’s minds.”

At any rate, it seems as though Parker is on his way to sticking in people’s minds for two things: his basketball talent and the kind of person that he is, and part of who he is, is Mormon.

“People think missions will set you back professionally, academically or athletically, but that’s just not the case. Every [athlete] faces the challenge of burnout. I think my mission saved my career. Because I hadn’t competed in over two years, I was fresh, I came back hungry and was able to find that passion again.”

Brown’s coach at Penn State, Cael Sanderson, agrees. He said, “I was really surprised. When he left, he had the attitude, effort and work ethic but wasn’t there yet. When he came back, we were all super impressed because he had progressed in a lot of ways.”

Although he didn’t know that his sacrifice of two years away from the sport would make all the difference, Brown’s record speaks for itself. Upon returning home from his mission to Africa, Brown has become the 2015 national champion and one of the NCAA top 10 athletes.

Peter Vidmar is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Official Latter-day Saint policy states that acting on homosexual feelings is a sin. While it was not obligatory, Church leadership did ask Latter-day Saints to make their voice for traditional marriage heard. Vidmar responded accordingly by participating in a demonstration for traditional marriage and donating money to the campaign for Proposition 8 in California.

Because of this involvement, years later, when Vidmar was given the position of chef de mission for the 2012 games, some people believed his personal beliefs would interfere with this appointment. For example, two-time Olympic figure skater and homosexual Johnny Weir told The Chicago Tribune, “Most people would have an issue if the chef [de mission] publicly was against Asian-Americans or African-Americans, so it should be dealt with if the chef is anti-gay.” Weir’s feelings represent many Olympians and non-Olympians alike who were upset that the chef did not support gay marriage.

via The New York Times

While in the face of the negative outcry against their personal beliefs, many people would have chosen to apologize for their beliefs and retract previous statements about the issue in question. But rather than retract his religious beliefs, Vidmar chose to step down from the position of chef de mission. In his resignation statement, Vidmar said,

“I have dedicated my life to the Olympic Movement and the ideals of excellence, friendship and respect. I wish that my personal religious beliefs would not have become a distraction from the amazing things that are happening in the Olympic Movement in the United States. I simply cannot have my presence become a detriment to the U.S. Olympic family. I hope that by stepping aside, the athletes and their stories will rightly take center stage.”

In other words, Vidmar chose to step down because he felt the discussion of his personal beliefs would take away from the United States Olympic team.

While many people were glad that Vidmar chose not represent the United States athletes in the London Olympics, others feel that it was unnecessary for him to decline the position just because his beliefs don’t represent every individual on the team. It would be impossible for one person to agree with each athlete’s stance on abortion, God, gun control, politics, etc. Therefore, if Vidmar opposes some of the athletes’ views on gay marriage, is that reason for resignation?

Furthermore, those who know Vidmar believe him to be loving to heterosexuals and homosexuals alike. For example, Steve Penny, USA Gymnastics President said,

“[Vidmar is] a man of principle and integrity who treats everyone equally and has the best interests of the athletes and the Olympic movement at heart. Peter is known for bringing people together in friendship, regardless of their creed, ethnic background, religion, sexual orientation or culture.”

If, as Penny advocates, Vidmar’s opposition towards legalizing gay marriage would not interfere with his support of the athletes — no matter their sexual orientation — on the U.S. Olympic team nor with his position of chef de mission, is tolerance really being served by his choice to step down from the position? As Jim Campbell, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, told The Daily Herald,

“[Gay rights activists are] advocating for a lot of changes in the name of tolerance. Yet ironically, the tolerance is not returned for people of faith who don’t agree with their agenda.”

But he turned both down.

Instead, Hannemann chose to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This choice meant that he would sacrifice two years of his life to live in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he would postpone his education, only talk to his family twice a year, and be unable to practice sports or maintain his rigorous training schedule. In other words, not only was his decision mission for his church passing up a once in a lifetime opportunity of playing professional baseball, Hannemann was choosing to face a future where that opportunity might not come again.

“This was the hardest decision of my life, up to that point,” Hannemann told The Daily Universe.

But Hannemann made that choice because he believed that the opportunity to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary was more valuable than his career.

Hannemann bats for BYU Cougars

When he returned home from his mission, Hannemann chose to forego the football scholarship BYU offered him and join the BYU baseball team. Immediately, Hannemann was a valuable player for the Cougars. He started all 51 games that season and had a .344 batting average, scoring five home runs.

Although Hannemann passed up an offer to play professional baseball, something that would be considered a once in a lifetime opportunity for most people, for Jacob Hanneman, this opportunity came more than once.

Hannemann and his wife had just settled down in South Carolina when they got a call inviting him to the Chicago Cubs double-A team, the Tennessee Smokies. He was offered a signing bonus of $1 million, something uncommon for anyone selected after the first round.

Although his decision to serve a mission has made him older than his competitors, he’s made a name for himself. He played 140 games last season and scored 15 home runs as well as batted 103 runs in for the Cubs.

Hannemann doesn’t regret his decisions and is looking forward to continuing to find success in sports. He said,

“When opportunities comes, it’s my responsibility to be ready for them.”

If his history is any indication, opportunity is going to come knocking again and he’s going to be ready for it.