Time has a way of making you forget.....

Well, it has been a long time. Seeing the posting of babybrock has inspried me! So many things have happened in months gone by but this blogging thing is all about the now. Last night I started my eighteenth season as a basketball coach in some capacity (5 years at Bethlehem Lutheran, 5 years at Fox Valley Lutheran, 1 Year at The University of Wisconsin Center, 3 Years with the Libertyville LadyCat Travel Basketball program, and now my 4th year with the Gurnee Park District recreational league. This year I have 7th and 8th grade boys. Last night was another beginning to a basketball season. I have a great guy helping me for the 2nd year in a row (Doug Cygan) whose son is also on the team. Before the first practice, I looked at this as another responsibility I needed to step up to (since I had already volunteered ahead of time). After showing up, seeing the boys, and taking them through one hour of practice, I came home realizing how much I have missed this game I love so much. I feel there is so many things that one learns throughout a basketball season (ups, downs, teamwork, success, and failure too). The similarities to real life are endless. I never believed in the tee shirts some of my high school players would wear (e.g. "Basketball Is Life"). I do believe though, that much can be learned about life.....through playing on a basketball team. I look forward to this season, I look forward to trying to give the player who can do it all, something else to add to his trickbag, I look forward to helping the player who has no experience....become a major contributor. I mostly look forward to helping a player learn to do something.....he never thought he could do. Last season ended with a very average player (maybe even below average,) getting himself open, catching a pass, and scoring a game winning basket....for me, it doesn't get much better than that. It was such a joy to see this young man do something that he probably never imagined he could do. I am sure my own daughter goes home every night with little joys like this. I am sure she feels these joys on a daily basis in the classroom. I don't get this same great feeling working in the corporate world each day, but I do find it on the basketball court, and in that way....much about life can be learned playing basketball. Thank God a new season has begun.....I cannot wait until our next practice.......and thank God babybrock is back blogging again!