The Reason I Am A Coach

I have always loved sports. I grew up playing any sport that was offered. I remember watching, my favorite player, Larry Bird play his last game. I remember Micheal Jordan winning six World Championships with the Chicago Bulls. I remember growing up loving the Denver Broncos football team, and more importantly, loving to watch John Elway lead them on game winning drives time after time. I loved going to games with my dad whether it was football, basketball, or baseball. I loved being part of the crowd, and I loved watching my favorite players make big plays. I loved sports no matter who won. My first love was basketball. It was an intriguing game. I started watching films of old games from the 70s, when there was no three point line or shot clock. It seemed to be a better game then for coaches, because you really had to be strategic, it was like both coaches were playing a chess match and one false move could cost the coach and his team the game. Now i have my own team, the Escambia Academy Cougars. I stay up late at night and wonder what I will say to them, I wonder what will inspire them. The funny thing about coaching is that you can graduate everyone of your players, but if you don't make the playoffs you can lose your job. Yet at the same time, I think that is what makes it so exciting because you never know whats going to happen. It's your best five players against their best five players and anything could happen. I think the biggest thrill I get out of coaching is when the game is tied, and there only a few minutes left. The players look to me for a play, I draw it up, they go out and execute it, and together, we win the game. I can't think of a better feeling. But coaching is bittersweet, and I can think of a worse feeling than losing. But losing is only a real loss if you learn nothing from it. And you can always learn from a loss.