This past Saturday, my wife and I went to UIS gymnasium (Springfield) to attend a summer high school basketball shootout. Our son's Granite City team was among sixteen team's participating. It had been years since being in that once very familiar arena environment.
I saw many old coaching colleagues. It was truly enjoyable re-mewing those special friendships. It was equally nice to have a number of my son's players and some local players show respect in their efforts to converse. My son was kind to invite me to share comments and evaluation remarks with his team at the conclusion of their play.
At one point during the afternoon, a long time basketball referee asked me how long I had been retired from coaching. I told him it had been fourteen seasons. He then asked, "Do you miss it?"
I told him, "There are a a myriad of things about coaching that I don't miss but one thing I still miss is NOT having a TEAM." Understand that for thirty-seven consecutive basketball years, I had a team, a group of 'my guys.' Each year, I had names of a dozen or so players running through my head all year long. I would think of players' positions and combinations of possible lineups.
I was blessed. My God gave me three children but he put me in a career that allowed me to have hundreds young boys who would be part of my coach's family. I miss those coach-players interaction days, I suppose that I always shall. How could I not?
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