Mike: So Coach, how's the season been going?
Coach: Well, could be better. This is a tough bunch to coach.
Mike: How so?
Coach: Well, we have a few who think they know everything and that there is nothing I could ever teach them. They also don't know the meaning of the word "team". They are all about "I". They show boat and hog the ball and it's really cost us this year.
Mike: Wow, that's too bad.
Coach: You know there's only 1 kid that I haven't had any problems with this whole year and he's right over there (the Coach pointed to Austin). That's one good kid. He is polite, respectful and has never talked back to me. He listens to what I say and no matter what I say he says "Yes Coach". If I had a team full of kids like him, I'd coach for a hundred years.
I felt really proud to hear that. You always HOPE your kids will act that way in public, but you never really know. We have always taught them to be respectful and kind and while to many boys in Austin's grade that makes him a "mamas boy" or a "geek" or a "loser". His real friends are for the most part the same way (a couple are pouters or whiners) and we have explained to Austin that by being the way he is, that will get him much farther in life, and he'll be much happier in life than those who are selfish and believe the world owes them everything.
To give you an idea of how much of a difference those certain kids with attitudes can make on the team, I'll give you a good example. Every year Jay has coached Austin and other boys on the team in weekend tournaments. Three of the boys don't like the way Jay gets on them. He won't put up with their garbage or selfish attitudes. Those 3 decided to not be a part of the tournament team this year, and said that team was "stupid" and for "losers". They heard the team was in a tournament this weekend and they have been ribbing them about preparing to lose. They were told that without them (the 3 pain in the butt kids), they didn't stand a chance to ever win a single game. The saddest part is that one of the kids used to be a very good friend of Austins, but boy has he changed. 2 of the 3 boys and Austin were like the 3 muskateers during elementary. We have pictures of the 3 having so much fun together and now they rarely talk.
Anyhow...back to the tournament...They played a team on Friday night who is good...very very good. They are a recruited team of kids from area schools. You get invited to try-out for that team and only the "best" are accepted. So yea, they are good. Each time we've played them in the past, we have not only gotten beaten, but bruised and whipped too! Without those 3, we only have 6 boys on the team, so not much time for resting. Jay is constantly subbing kids in and out. Our boys only lost to them this time by 9 points. We were even ahead at half-time! That is a HUGE accomplishment. We didn't get to see that game because the girls danced for the last time during half-time of a varsity game going on at the same time, so we watched that instead. The other dad who helps Jay coach the tournament team, took Austin with them.
On Saturday the boys played another game in the tournament. We played boys who are in a neighboring school and they are our school rivals. We have only beat them once in 3 yrs. On Friday during school the boys were told by the 3 pain in the butts that they hoped they enjoyed losing because they were going to get pounded by that team, and they laughed at them. I know Austin doesn't like confrontation, so it didn't surprise me when he and another kid just walked away....which is what we'd want him to do.
Much to our surprise and delight...they BEAT that rival team! They came out like a team on fire and led the entire game. You could tell the rival team and their coaches were stunned. They had to be thinking "wait, they have less players than normal and they are playing like this?" We went in for steals and hustled so great. Austin was leaping for rebounds like he was 7ft tall! It was so much fun to watch these boys. They were a completely different team! There were no attitudes or selfishness to hold them back and they played so great together and gained such confidence and satisfaction from that win.
We told Austin that we were very proud of them, but we hoped that on Monday they wouldn't go to school and shove this in the 3 boys faces (no matter how much they'd like to LOL). Austin said "Nope. We've already talked about it and we're going to wait until they ask how we did and we're just going to say 'We won'. And then we'll just turn and walk away and leave them standing there."
That's my boy! LOL
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