My youngest daughter Kiki Aru is on the 5th grade Silver Valley Stings AAU team. This weekend I spent Saturday and Sunday with her in Newman Lake, Washington at Mountain View Middle School watching her play basketball.
After the final game today, I asked myself, “Can I take seven more years of this?”
If the girls just played basketball, it would be fine. But there is all the other stuff.
Like the two fathers sitting behind me, whose daughters were on the team, playing “coach” throughout the game. Sorry, but my philosophy is, if you don’t like something the coach is doing, discuss it personally, don’t yell it throughout the game.
Like the opponent’s coach, who was a very nice man, but during the game pointed out to the ref that the officials could call more because the girls were getting hurt. Well, the official, again, a nice guy, got a little hot under the collar and told the coach he could do what he did best, coach, and he would officiate.
Later, our coach questioned the ref, and he said the same thing. Our coach got a little got under the collar. Man, do I hate the tension!!
At one point, our coach’s daughter was knocked down by one of the opponent’s players. Well, her mother started yelling across the gym at the player who knocked her daughter down, and making it clear she didn’t think that was very nice. Yikes!! Again, the tension!!
I was very proud of our girls. They didn’t win a game, but they didn’t give up, and during their fourth game today, they were finally running the plays and doing what they had been coached to do. But we did have a lot of injuries, and girls being knocked down. As one of the women in the stands said behind me, “You have a scrappy team.” Yes we do.
So, every weekend in March we have another tournament. She goes to Lewiston this coming weekend, but we can’t go since our play opens this weekend.
But then we have some others in Spokane again, and Coeur d’Alene. Maybe I’ll just find a safe little corner to watch the game from, so I don’t have to listen to anyone say anything.
I just want to watch the girls play ball.
I did see two interesting people over the weekend. One was John Stockton, a former professional basketball player for the Jazz. He was coaching one of the teams in our gym.
The third team we played was coached by one of my Tri Delta sorority sisters. It was fun seeing her and getting caught up on what she is doing. I hadn’t seen her in a while.
After the final game today, I asked myself, “Can I take seven more years of this?”
If the girls just played basketball, it would be fine. But there is all the other stuff.
Like the two fathers sitting behind me, whose daughters were on the team, playing “coach” throughout the game. Sorry, but my philosophy is, if you don’t like something the coach is doing, discuss it personally, don’t yell it throughout the game.
Like the opponent’s coach, who was a very nice man, but during the game pointed out to the ref that the officials could call more because the girls were getting hurt. Well, the official, again, a nice guy, got a little hot under the collar and told the coach he could do what he did best, coach, and he would officiate.
Later, our coach questioned the ref, and he said the same thing. Our coach got a little got under the collar. Man, do I hate the tension!!
At one point, our coach’s daughter was knocked down by one of the opponent’s players. Well, her mother started yelling across the gym at the player who knocked her daughter down, and making it clear she didn’t think that was very nice. Yikes!! Again, the tension!!
I was very proud of our girls. They didn’t win a game, but they didn’t give up, and during their fourth game today, they were finally running the plays and doing what they had been coached to do. But we did have a lot of injuries, and girls being knocked down. As one of the women in the stands said behind me, “You have a scrappy team.” Yes we do.
So, every weekend in March we have another tournament. She goes to Lewiston this coming weekend, but we can’t go since our play opens this weekend.
But then we have some others in Spokane again, and Coeur d’Alene. Maybe I’ll just find a safe little corner to watch the game from, so I don’t have to listen to anyone say anything.
I just want to watch the girls play ball.
I did see two interesting people over the weekend. One was John Stockton, a former professional basketball player for the Jazz. He was coaching one of the teams in our gym.
The third team we played was coached by one of my Tri Delta sorority sisters. It was fun seeing her and getting caught up on what she is doing. I hadn’t seen her in a while.
2 comments:
I umpired baseball for a year here in Eugene for one summer, 1988.
At a fifth grade softball game parents were saying stuff like, "Knock her over" when an inexperience third baseman was standing on the base while an opponent was rounding third to come home and score.
I stopped the game. I called both coaches to the pitcher's mound.
I told both coaches to get the parents under control or I would call a double forfeit.
The coaches went to the parents and they settled down.
Did you know your brother could be such a hard ass?
I was pretty ticked off.
Good for you. I think the whole key is acting in a respectful manner. Even if you disagree or feel like you are looking out for the best interest of your players, you can be respectful.
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