I'm not a basketball player. OK, so I played for two years on a church league when I was in elementary school, but that was the start and end of my basketball career. I was definitely not the female Kobe Bryant.

But, when I heard the news, my heart broke.

My heart broke for his family, who also has to mourn the death of Gianna.

My heart broke for his friends, his former teammates, his coaches who all knew and loved him.

While I don't have vision after vision of Kobe playing running through my head, I do have a quote in mind.

"I don't mean to sound cavalier when I say that, but never. It's basketball. I've practiced and practiced and played so many times. There's nothing truly to be afraid of, when you think about it ... Because I've failed before, and I woke up the next morning, and I'm OK. People say bad things about you in the paper on Monday, and then on Wednesday, you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. I've seen that cycle, so why would I be nervous about it happening?"

See, I may not be anything more than a big fan of basketball, but that doesn't matter. As someone who fears failure more than just about anything else in life, his outlook on failure has encouraged me, motived me and helped me.

I've lived most of my life with the idea that failure is fatal, and as an educator, I'm bound to make mistakes and lots of them at times. Failing doesn't mean my world is over, it means I get up the next day and try harder, do better and try not to make that same mistake again.

Kobe Bryant didn't become the player and person he is remembered for because he feared failure.

He became that person because he embraced it. There was no reason to fear failure in his eyes because when you fail, you get up and go again.

Who cares what others say? Get up and try again, anyway.

Kobe helped me overcome my fear of failure, and while that fear may not be directly related to the basketball court, it's still fear.

See, superb athletes impact their game and solely their game, but superb individuals impact those outside of their game. They push everyone, in the game or not, to new levels.

And, honestly, that's what Kobe did.

Rest in peace, Kobe, here's to you — and your fearlessness in the face of failure.