Still Miss It

Recently, someone asked me what I missed about coaching basketball. I did not have to think long because it is always at the surface of my thoughts. Let me explain it this way:
Many successful high school basketball coaches had a specific offensive and defensive approach year in and year out; they were known for molding players into a system. I did not embrace that philosophy.

The biggest thing I enjoyed about coaching was accepting the reality that each year my players brought individual skills and attitudes that I must mold into a team concept. Every year there were obvious collective team strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes we had physical size. Other years, we were small. Sometimes fast/quick and years when we were lumbering and slow. Considering the aforementioned, sometimes we wanted to create a track meet tempo other years we were more interested in a plowing contest.  Perhaps my baseball pitching background also influenced my defensive coaching philosophy. Some hitters can handle the fast ball but not a change up. Some hitters are pathetic seeing a breaking pitch. Well, some basketball teams are comfortable facing a man-to-man defense but are clueless against a zone defense. And a match up defense cause some teams frustration. My teams came with many bullets and my guys believed ONE would hit the bulls eye before games end.

I always believed that my coaching responsibility was to identify team strengths and weaknesses and then sell the players on specific defensive and offensive approaches that accentuated our positives, negated our weaknesses and put us in a position to win at the end. That profiled, I recall one season my guys lead the State in team scoring averaging 88 points per game. Another season, I remember my team advancing to the sectional finals with a 28-27 win over a very talented taller team.
Understand, that which I miss the most about coaching is bringing teen boys, from different walks of
life together and challenging them to sacrifice self for others, buy into a team concept and trust coaches and teammates. If I could accomplish those objectives the desirable outcome goals would more than likely follow.
 I know without question those who came through THAT coaching program we're a leg up becoming great husbands, fathers and successful men. They know how to sacrifice, trust, be trusted, make commitments, use their minds and be selfless.