The Summer of 2004: My Thoughts and Opinions
In a few more weeks the summer of 2004 will have officially become an afterthought. It's hard to believe that half of the current year has blown by so quickly. Some days I long for the distant memories of vacations growing up in New Orleans. Going with my sister to the local library to check out books. Riding bikes with a bunch of friends ( or walking in extreme cases ) with no real idea of who wanted to do what. Friday night youth fellowships. Mowing lawns for pennies on the dollar and feathery thoughts of the JGM triumvirate.
This year, the summer season has provided me with many significant moments to reflect upon as I begin my preparation for the months to come. It was a highway that seemed to be littered regularly with great people, challenging opportunities, moments to analyze and reflect, and opportunities to fall and pick myself back up.
To write about everything that I 'd like to touch upon would probably break some kind of record for longest continuing entry (not likely with some of you people out there). So, I've decided to space these thoughts out over the course of a few days to make sure that they are properly expressed and not overbearing.
Here is the first.......
Coaching Women's CCU Basketball: We just had our team dinner last night at a local pizza restaurant. As I gazed down the length of the table it really hit me that the season would soon be over and there existed the chance that I would never see any of these kids again. A tiny part of me will miss them a bit and I wonder just how God will be using them as they continue to find their way in life. A great bunch of girls. Especially AirFrog....who ate a giant plate of pasta that I myself could not down in a few previous attempts.
*LIB note: HS kids eat so much and don't gain an inch! Envious.
This was my first time having direct responsibility in leading a group of young people in the world of sports. So many things were uncertain in the beginning. I remember feeling uneasy b/c for starters, the players all knew each other and attended an entirely different church than me. How would they respond to a total stranger, a very tall and sturdy man, taking up a such a position of authority? What kind of fire did they have in them? Do they want to win? More importantly....was there any height on the team? =)
As the season unfolded, we took our share of lumps and also were involved in a few shootouts that at times even riled a mellow person like me to the edge of my seat. Every week we improved a little bit. Girls that were afraid to shoot the ball eventually found the courage to hoist up a few to the delight of our team. Practice never became too serious of an obsession, but the memories of those full court scrimmages towards the end of the year will stay with me a good while. We ended up winning only one game as of tonight, but I certainly am proud of all the efforts from everyone combined.
Some of the more entertaining highlights for me were: the people that came out to support the GGCC women's team, observing the fellowship activities that the girls had with opposing teams before games, AirFrog developing into a fierce rebounder, MYung Jr. boxing out players twice her size and knocking down clutch shots, the perimeter players dropping bombs from behind the arc, and Dow5 playing center when we were short on height due to injury.
Personally, I discovered enrichment through the prayer and preparation that we needed before each weeks activities. Having to sacrifice a few of my personal regulars also became an initial concern, but in hindsight, it really was a small price to pay for the way the blessings came down for this rookie coach. I'm not quite up there with the Zen Master or Lombardi just yet. What I am feeling though is renewed confidence in cementing up some personal areas of weakness in order to better lead by example when called upon again.
We're playing the Salvation Army team tonight. They're coached by one of the best asian players in the SF area.
You know how I'm feeling?
Let's get it started.