I recently graduated from Central Michigan University. I majored in History and had a minor in Coaching. Up untill about 18 months ago I was planning on becoming a High School Teacher with aspirations of coaching High School Basketball, and one day becoming a college coach. However I realized that if I was teaching just to coach, then I would do doing a disservice to the students. I now currently have a decent job, which is paying the bills and I am volunteering at the local High School as the Varsity Assistant for the Girls Basketball team..
It is the 4th year that I have in some way helped out at the High School with the Girls Program. My first year I began as part of my coaching minor, I was required to do a field study where I worked with a coach and was evaluated on my performance. Going into it I had never thought about coaching Girls basketball, but that first year was all I needed to be hooked. Yes the game is slower, and most of the girls are not as athletic as their male counterparts but the game is in its true form. Where intellect, and execution is just as important and jumping ability and speed.
The second year I was a assistant on the JV team. That year I realized that coaching has a profound affect on the players positively and negatively. The coach basically caused 5 of the 10 girls to quit following the season and many of them were very good players. But when the coach has little to no experience and a very small understanding of the game it shows on a team.
The 3rd year, I was given the Opportunity to coach the Freshman team. I was very excited to be given the opportunity to be in charge. The team had talent, but personalities clashed and there was little to no chemistry within the team. It gave me the opportunity to realize that I have a lot more that I can learn about the game and many more lessons to learn about coaching.
Last night we had our first game of the season. We were playing our conference rival, who is ranked in the top 15 in the state. I knew we were going to have a tough time because our team is very small and they had 4 girls over 6'0" (we have none). We are also a team comprised of only 1 senior 7 juniors (none played varsity last year) and 2 sophomores. So we have very little experience at this level, and it showed. Our first 5 possessions we were called for traveling and the other team got out to a quick 7-0 start.. But the girls didnt give up and were able to keep it close for the first 3 quarters before the landslide came.
But as a coach you always have to look at the positives, even in a loss. We played hard for about 28 of the 32 minutes, and if it wasnt for the turnovers the game would have been completely different.
Anyways... before the game I was at home getting ready and I caught this story on ESPN (i dont know if it was E:60 or between the lines) but it was about this High School basketball team in N.Carolina whos coach was killed in a fire fighting accident months before their season and the story of how they kept him with them throughout the season and eventually all the way to a state championship. The story really touched me almost to the point of tears, and all I could think about was how I hope one day that I can have that type of affect on the kids I coach.
So maybe this blog wont be about sports but about life.
R-P (u know who I be)
R-P (u know who I be)
2 comments:
knowing you there will be some sports, life, and women all mixed in to one, with a emo post every now and again
well sman you were correct 12 hrs later we get a post not about sports but life, women and a lil emo.. u just know me too well.. I guess when we lived together as long as we did it happens or if you were sayin it "it happans"
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