Coaching is Awesome

I had the team party for my 7th/8th grade basketball team that I coach last night. As I was thinking about awards for each of the girls, I realized how much I love coaching ... and how much I love my girls.

I was always oober-competitive, but after coaching junior high girls for 4 years, something changed. Don't get me wrong - I'm still way too competitive and make everything a competition - but I want my girls to see the bigger picture. It's not all about the winning anymore.

When I was at Blaine last year, one of the PE teachers told me after a loss, "When you lose, don't lose the lesson." I don't mind losing as much anymore because I know that there's usually something that can be learned from it. I still do my best to coach to win, but I want my girls to learn that there's more to life than winning a basketball game.

I want them to know that winning games does not define who they are.

I want them to know that it's okay to fail ... but it's not okay to quit.

I want them to know how blessed they are to be able to run and jump and sweat and put a ball through a stupid little hoop.

I want them to dream the biggest dreams possible and then go make them come true.

I want them to learn respect - for themselves, for others ... even the refs.

I want them to be proud of themselves.

When we lose, I want them to turn it into a victory. And when we win, I want them to cherish it because they've earned it.

My girls struggled at the beginning of this season with being a team and taking responsibility. We lost a lot of games that we shouldn't have. If I had scripted this season, it would have been entirely different. But then I stop and listen to what they cheer and yell at basketball games, and I realize that this season was a huge success. We didn't win the championship, but I wouldn't change anything about this season.

I coach the greatest, classiest, funnest team. I wish I could coach them forever.