- I did kind of go hard on the parents without really considering that they could be right and the coach could be in the wrong. So far I am pretty confident that I've avoided that situation, which is why I took that stance. My point of view was a little one-sided on that one. As a reminder to myself, and any other coaches - DON'T BE THAT COACH!! :)
So a lot of people over the last couple of years have asked why I decided to get into coaching, and why I didn't try for a higher level like high school. So I figure that it should be something I write about. Should have been one of the first but better late than never I guess.
Truth is I wanted to do something with kids back when I was in high school, so I didn't mind doing community service when it involved being a mentor or big brother type stuff - that was fun. It felt good, but not in a Sandusky kind of way. I think that ultimately came from being surrounded by communities of people that cared. Neighbors were looking out for you, making sure you were on the right path and all that jazz even though they had no real obligation to do so. The mindset was that it took a community to raise a child, so everywhere I went someone was ready to teach me something that made me a better person. As a big proponent of the "Golden Rule" it was only natural that I do my best to be like that to the generations that followed behind me. So whether it was through coaching or not, I'd probably be invested in some youth program somewhere right now. High school kids tend to already be set in their ways, so the impact you can have is fairly limited. Younger kids can still be swayed, and with enough positive energy from the right people, you get the success stories of the kid from the rough neighborhood that goes on to do great things because someone had the heart to make a difference. Am I saying high school kids are unreachable, no. But if you can catch it early, why wait?
The idea to get involved with basketball is just that I love the game. Played it throughout elementary school on the playground all the way until I graduated from Baylor, and since I got to go to all the games for free I watched a lot of games. Sometimes people hated going with me or watching with me because I did more commentating than the guys in the broadcast booth, and usually said the same thing before they did, had the same keys to victory, half time adjustments, etc. So jokingly some of my friends would tease me with, "You know you aren't the coach or anything!" And thus that seed was planted.
Put those two passions together, and here we are. A coach trying to make it in a youth basketball program. For me, it's almost like having your cake and eating it too, and I do find it fun, exciting, and fulfilling. More so than my real job, and that pays with benefits. Who knows, maybe one day coaching will pay the bills, but I'm happy where I am right now, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of 10 kids lives for a season. Take my word for it, and I'm sure some of the other coaches will agree - there is no greater feeling than a having kid you used to coach come up to and tell you how some small thing you said or did helped them to succeed. That is why I coach youth basketball.
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