I have a confession to make. I really like to win. Uh huh. It’s true. I have grown and travelled and learned many things, but I have still not learned that winning doesn’t matter. I know it’s not everything. I understand that no one wins all of the time. I’m just admitting that I prefer to end up on the winning side more often than not.
As a basketball coach of young kids, however, I have to put winning aside for a bit. First, the kids have to learn how to play. We have to focus on the basics. How hard can it be, right?
It’s hard.
You know the problem with coaching 10-year olds? They have never seen Michael Jordan play. Fo’ real. And there is a chance that a few really neglected ones don’t even know who he is. I know, right?
So, I’m trying. I’m trying my very best to teach the boys some basketball. We are working on some fundamentals, like dribbling without looking at the ball, and boxing out, which for those of you who don’t know anything about basketball most of you, means keeping the other team from getting the ball after someone shoots.
These things don’t seem that hard to teach. I mean, those guys on TV do it all the time. But man, they are. Hard to teach, that is.
Boys. Funny thing is, I wasn’t one, so I’m not always sure where they’re coming from. For example, if my coach said, “Do not shoot 3-point shots,” I would not shoot 3-point shots. Seems fairly simple. But these boys, they learn so early that shooting those shots from far away is cool. Even if you only make one shot out of like, one thousand, that one shot was cool, man. That one shot that keeps ‘em coming back for more, even when the coach is pulling her hair out on the sidelines and begging them to pass the ball. PASS THE BALL.
But I love it when it works. When they drive the baseline or make the assist or fast break for a great lay-up.
My son took this photo of his brother (who’s on the team I coach). That kid playing defense totally went for the fake, didn’t he? And, wow, that boy can jump!
I think my favorite basketball to watch, though, is still the little kids. These kids think it’s just fine to dribble with two hands, pick the ball up, and then dribble again. And in their League, it is. They’re just having fun, playing ball, and smiling.
Also, they love the dog pile.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that my big kid is playing, too. But you can see it in their faces: Forget the dog pile. These boys are like me. They really want to win.
