It's been quite awhile since my last post and so much as happened, there is no way to catch up so as I usually do when this happens I just write about what is going on now. This school year I have been coaching Junior High. This is much different than the High School I am use to but, I know God put me here for a reason and I AM HAVING A BLAST. I coached volleyball in the fall which isn't my favorite sport but it went well. I learned a lot about myself during those 2 months. But NOW we are in the midst of basketball season. I love the sound of bouncing balls on the hardwood and the squeak of shoes, so I have been in my element. My team is AWESOME!!! For just being 7th graders they really know their stuff and are actually better then some teams 2-3 years older than them. Their talent AMAZES me. At this point our season is about half over and we had our toughest game just last night. Going in both teams were undefeated, the top two teams in the district. My girls had really been in a slump going into this game but luckily had played weaker competition, so we were able to eke by. One of our starters and team captains moved and was no longer a part of the team. This would be their first game without her. I think this effected them and the way they paled the previous games knowing she was leaving. I was apprehensive as to how not having her there at all would be.
The girls came out a bit sluggish but then again that is usually normal. We soon picked it up and played maybe our best game of the season. It was a back and forth battle all game. No team ever getting up by more than 5 or 6 points. I think one time it my have been a bit more but it didn't stay there long. The girls were getting frustrated at times when things didn't go their way but continued to fight hard. We were doing great, our confidence was growing and our teamwork was picking up. We had the momentum. Then it happened. It wasn't the first time, and probably not the last. It wasn't the first this season, but it was the WRONG time in this game.
I MADE A BAD COACHING DECISION. Yes, I admit it! I take all the blame. About halfway through the 3rd quarter, I had a thought about something I SHOULD do, but DIDN'T do. I waited...BIG MISTAKE. I looked at the score and the clock and talked myself out of it. It wasn't until the beginning of the fourth quarter that I finally decided to do it. BIG MISTAKE. We came out flat and lost our momentum and really never got it back. The girls tried so hard to fight through it but just couldn't get it back. We ended up losing my 3 Points. The girls were bummed but they also knew they played hard and fought hard. I told them to use the lose as a building block to get better and to come out stronger on the other side. They are a resilient group so I have every confidence they will. Time will tell. I know I for sure have learned my lesson and WILL NOT make that mistake again.
