We'd Like to Take the Program in a Different Direction

Oh, no. There it is again. The Athletic Director's favorite line and the one coach's dread to hear. I'm still not sure exactly what that mean's but I suppose it's a euphemism meant to soften the blow of "You're Fired." I have heard these words a few times myself and it's frustrating. Personally, I would rather have the truth and use that information to better myself. I am also not a big fan of blindsiding someone and think that even coach's can use support and guidance. I was recently informed by an Athletic Director that  the Administration wanted to "take their program in a different direction." After some pressing, I was told that they wanted someone with more lacrosse experience. That was all well and good except that I had practically been begged to take the position, even after I proclaimed my lack of experience (two years on the junior varisty level). The Athletic Director said that my positive manner and professionalism as their Head Girls Volleyball Coach was more important and that was what they were looking for in Lacrosse as well. I took the position and made it through the first season, where we made it into a playoff game to get into the state tournament. The toughest thing was learning thirty plus players and their personalities, strengths and weaknesses. At the season's end, the junior varsity coach and I were proud of what we had accomplished, especially with the new and younger players, and looked forward to continuing our success this season. Alas, that was not to be. So I am back at my old junior varsity coaching position and the good thing is that I have freed up my time so that I will also be able to watch my son play in his lacrosse games.

What prompted me to write this today though, is not my story, but one of another well-liked coach, who recently heard the the dreaded words that the school would like to go in a "different" direction. I met this coach in his third season as a head coach when my son wrestled on his team. He was positive, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, patient, and understanding. All good qualities in a coach and a good role model for the young men on his team. He also lugged wrestling mats around in his car because the school did not have enough mats for the team to practice on. My son ended up transferring to another school but we still remember his support when my family made that difficult decision. This coach's stats are listed in an article in today's NJ Sunday Herald (http://www.njherald.com/story/17248003/hs-wrestling-pope-john-parts-ways-with-wrestling-coach-koch) . He states that he thought the program was going in the right direction. It looks like it to me, too. It's sad if a coach is let go for one bad season.  As my son pointed out to me, there were individual wrestlers on the team who had great success, partly due to this coach. In fact, in the same sports section, one of the grapplers was named to the All-Herald Wrestling First Team.

Positive coaching and a positive experience by most of the team members is something you cannot quantify as easily as wins and losses. I believe that the lessons learned and friendships forged while competing on a high school team are ultimately more important than the wins. Some of my most memorable coaching moments are not from games we won, rather those games we felt like we won because of teamwork, playing from the heart, and the players giving it their all.

It's a Beautiful Season for Lacrosse!

A former high school lacrosse player used to exclaim, "What a beautiful day for lacrosse!" on the nice sunny days of lacrosse. However, not all days are so sunny. The first year I coached, I remember a lot of rain, cold rain to make matters worse. The coaches and teams used umbrellas, raincoats, hats, whatever would work to keep us dry. Scorebooks got soggy, duffle bags got soggy, the ball bag got soggy. You get the idea. The season was wet and cold and we were wet and cold. I yearned for the indoors of the volleyball season. For the past two years, we started the out with several feet of snow on the ground. Practices were held indoors or in parking lots because the fields were covered with snow and then, as the weather warmed, with mud. Teams with grass fields were scrambling to scrimmage teams that were lucky enough to have the coveted turf fields. But this year is different! The winter was mild and the area didn't see much snow. Winter enthusiasts were dismayed by the lack of snow. Skiing was limited on the east coast and the the ski season came crashing to an early halt. But for those of us who love lacrosse, it's a blessing. After a few cold days, the weather has been warm and dry. We have been able to practice outdoors and on a field everyday. The team is weeks ahead of where we have been in the past! So, as I coach on one field and watch my son play on another, I hope mother nature remains kind to us, and I can trade in my umbrella for a bottle of suncreen.

An Annoying Bird Chattering in My Ear

There was an annoying sound in my ear but it was a parent not a bird. Last week, I attended the first round of a girls high school state tournament. I arrived at the game a few minutes into the first quarter and looked around for a place to sit. I saw an empty spot near the local sports videographers and thought that would be a nice, neutral place for me to sit. I wanted to support girls athletics in general more than one particular team, although I found myself rooting for the home team. It was quickly apparent that the home team was better than the visiting team. I happened to be seated near some parents from the visitor's team. There was a group of four or five, led loudly by one woman, who disagreed with the referees, cheered on their team when they fouled the other players, and were basically poor sports all around. At one point, I wanted to tell this woman that she should learn the rules of the game. She knew enough to argue the referees' calls but not enough to see the subtleties of why the calls were made or not made. I thought the referees did a decent job and were fair to both teams. The players and coaches of both teams were respectful and the parents of the winning team were also respectful. They cheered their team on but did not heckle the other team or referees. I don't know why parents act this way. The players were doing their best but were outmatched. I know that from being in the coach's shoes that loud parents in the stands actually are more of a distraction to the players on the court, and yes, even an embarrassment.

The Little Black Dress

Last weekend, I tried out another pair of demo skis. I have a friend who said to try out about five different pair and then when I buy a pair, take a lesson with the new skis. I happened to read an article in SnowEast  magazine that also recommended testing out skis and to...demo, demo, demo. Of course, there are different schools of thought, and another friend said she buys the skis and then learns to ski on them. But that was my way of purchasing in the past and I did not have much luck. This time, I tried Blizzard (accent on the second syllable, I am told) Viva skis. Another great day of skiing! Turns were easy and I felt totally in control. I challenged myself to take some short Black Diamond runs and amazingly even took a run through the practice gates that were set up for the young racers. I also realized that I was not using the skis to their fullest potential. My friend's suggestion to take a lesson after buying new skis seems to make sense. When I returned the demo skis, I said that they made me a much better skier than I actually am. The owner smiled and said that was the general consensus of everyone who tried them, thus giving the skis the nickname, "The Little Black Dress."