The Beginning
I saw what was happening across the world and making its way towards the United States and California. I knew what was coming, and I knew it was going to happen quickly. I didn't have hope because I just knew what was coming, and I knew it was going to happen fast. I, however, chose to coach like we had our whole season ahead of us. I chose to prepare for each practice and game as I would have in the past. I chose to give our seniors, and our team, any resemblance of normalcy. And truth be told, I like the way we operate as a team. I wouldn't have changed a thing.
The Middle
We are in the middle right now. We are living in the unknown. What I do know is that our team still gets TOGETHER. Over spring break, we met over Zoom calls and had show-and-tell with various art projects assigned by our seniors. Every Tuesday and Wednesday morning before school starts. We are led through workout circuits by one of our seniors, and we all dig in and grind. The workout is great and rewarding, but doing it together is what we really love. It's why we continue to show up.
The Future
TBD
My Takeaways
The athletes I coach and come to love are special. They embody the qualities that we read about, talk about, and want to reflect in our daily behavior, through sport and lifestyle. They understand that being together is important. They absolutely love one another. It brings me to tears-yes, actual tears-knowing how much strength and joy they find in one another. They may not even know it right now. They know that they are "close", they probably don't realize how close that they are. Their love is organic. It starts on day one, when you join our program. But it builds a little bit every single day, every single week, and every single year. For those rare athletes who 'stick it out' for 4 years, or at least the duration of their careers, they get it. Their resilience, toughness, and ability to deal with me on a daily basis makes us who we are. THEY LOVE TO SHOW UP!
Our team isn't just a team. It's a family. We say it in huddles, we talk about it when things get hard, but more importantly, we feel it. In our program, life isn't always easy. We work really hard. But we love each other, so being vulnerable becomes a way of life. Our teammates drag us across the line, figuratively, but mostly literally. We push and pull each other along. We don't tolerate complaints. We have a clear vision of the finish line and a strong desire to get EVERYONE across it. It's really special.
I have shed tears over losing this season. These tears aren't for me. They aren't for the underclassmen. They are for Grace. They are for Judy. They are for Allie. Our seniors. Our foundation. This is their program. They are the reason we are who we are. They are the reason we LOVE coming to practice, regardless of what we face. They are the reason we see the finish line. They are the reason we ALL cross it. They are the reason we are more than a team. They are the reason we are a FAMILY.
