Prochein Amy

When I took on the coaching gig for my 3rd grade daughter’s team, I figured I would regret it.  But it was for her.  Little did I know how good it would be for me.  So here is a bullet recap and random thoughts.

Our last game was this Saturday and we all dreading it since we would be playing the best team that had already stomped us twice.  I was honest with the girls and we all knew it would be a tough game.  In our practice we went over a few of the basics and worked on our weak points.  

Friday evening I get a call from the league coordinator asking if we would play a double header.  One team had forfieted and he wanted the other team to have a chance.  I asked the girls before the first game and they all enthusastically agreed. I was worried and it seem the only ones who hesitated were the parents.  I think the girls liked the idea of getting to play more.  

First game starts.  We stuggle, but then the girls gel and we are giving them a run for their money.  They beat us by two baskets, but only because they put their talest girl on our shortest to keep her from scoring.  Heh!  Our best game ever!  

It was great to see the girls improve, not just on our team.  

Our shortest girl plays with the most effort and makes up for it with umph.  Her parents were concerned a few times when she was matched up with a taller girl, but I knew she could handle it.

This was the first time my daughter has played.  She has improved 300%!  She can dribble, shoot, defend her dribble with her arm, and play awesome defense.  I know I am biased, but I see stars when she plays.  Not future scholarship stars, but the aura of fun and enjoyment.  She likes to play.

I have never played team sports, so watching the team dynamics and peer pressure was interesting.  I was suprised how the girls expressed their dissatifaction with a teammate who seem to get hurt all the time and gave up easily.  She was told to suck it up and point blank asked why she always got hurt.  Ouch, but it needed to be said.  

I have a new admiration for the sport of basketball.  I don’t think I will ever get into pro, but now that I understand the basics, I can appreciate the game.  I wish I had played in high school.

During our second game, the other team agreed to let my younger daughter play.  We were short 1 girl and had just played a game, so we wanted to give the girls a chance to sit out a period.  I sold it with that and that she was “only” a second grader.  Ended up she made about 3 baskets, defended like she should, and gelled with the team.  She was at our practices and helped out when we needed an extra, so I know that helped.  

There are various coaching styles out there and I was able to observe several examples of what not to do.  

Most of the mothers knew more about the sport than I did (which was nothing) and helped out at the practices.  They were honorary coaches!

I was challenged by many aspects of it (mostly the referring), but I enjoyed it and will coach again next year if I can.

Once there was ten good dogs. They had one favorite thing to do. It was to do good. They were superheros. Their team name was “The Friends of Good”. They saved people a lot. They only slept and saved. They never let each other down. They had the best time anyone they knew ever had. It was the best time of their lives. They loved cats, fish and horses. That is still not their favorite thing. Their friendship never ended.

The End.

note: written in the car going to Costco.

This Saturday was much better.  The teams that I ref’ed were not aggresive, so it was easier to keep things in line.  Two areas to improve on – calling walking and bumping.  But with only one more game to ref – not to much to worry about.  Unless I get an aggressive team.  

I have learned something about myself.  I do better when I am challenged to step up.  This game they put me with a teenage boy who had only ref’ed 3 games.  He said he did not want to do the jump ball or prayer.  Not my first choice to do, but fine by me.  Put me in charge, I got it!     

So just as we are all getting in the groove, the girls are playing better, we are on our last game.

The basketball coaching gig is going better than I expected.  I am getting lots of help from experienced parents and learning as we go.  I like it enough to want to coach again next season.

The refereeing, not so much.  It is a tough job.  I have ref’ed 1 and half games and after each one I am a nervous wreck.  Not to mention the anxiety before.  What is really weird about the whole thing – it’s like I have stage fright.  I get meek and almost shy.  That is not like me. 

I already signed up to ref two more games, but I am not sure I am right for the job.  I want to be good at it, but I don’t want to learn at the expense of the girls I am ref’ing.  This week I will do more reading about how to ref, see what I can find online, and how I feel after that.  I know the league would understand if I back out, but I hate to do that. 

Any tips or suggestions?

Smoked bacon weaved around sausage and more bacon.  Amazing!  

Allan shared this link on google reader a few weeks ago and I shared it with my anti-MIL.  We tucked it away until hubby found it and suggested it for Super Bowl Sunday.  

Not something you would want to eat on a regular basis, but if you get a hankering for bacon, this will get it out of your system!  The smoked flavor takes it up a few notches.