For the last two years, my friend Gabriel and I have coached
our own youth basket ball team here in Holbrook’s youth league. And since we
have had many of the same kids on our team this year from last year, we have
been able to see big improvements in our players.
One player, his name is Israel but we call him Izzy, was one
of our top players last year. He listens well and can steal the ball and score
just about whenever he wants too. Last season, our team only lost one game, and
that was the game that Izzy could not make it because of family obligations.
The biggest improvement that Gabe and I have seen has to be
from Andre. Andre came into the league last year only in pre-school. At the
beginning of the season he was not even strong enough to hit the rim with a
shot. This being probably because he was so small and so young, but we told him
to do twenty five pushups every night if he wanted to get stronger and make a
shot. I don’t know if he did them at home but he would do them at every
practice, and by the end of the year he made a shot in practice. And in the
last game we had him cherry pick, so when one of the other players stole the
ball they would pass to a wide open Andre under the basket. Andre missed his
first two chances and the other team got the ball. But the third time, he got
the ball and shot it; it rolled around the top of the rim, stopped, and then
fell in the basket. Everyone in the gym went crazy, because after the whole
season, Andre had finally scored in the last game with under a minute left. That
was one of the best moments I have had coaching or playing basketball.
This season, Andre came back a lot stronger and he can make
shots all the time now. We still have Izzy too, plus a bunch of new kids that
can play good. So Gabe and I are looking forward to a successful season.
Yesterday was our first game and our players did everything we said and went on
to win twenty eight to six. They scored so many points that the score keepers couldn’t
even put the score on the scoreboard.
Coaching youth basketball has really become one of my favorite things to do. Last year, I never would of thought how much fun coaching would be. Our kids each have their own unique personality and their own skill set. As these kids grow older, I can say that I was their very first coach. Hopefully, these kids will develop a passion for basketball similar to that of Jesse and I. It is sad that this will be my last season coaching. However, I am looking forward to returning to Holbrook one day and seeing how much my former players have developed.
ReplyDeleteI totally know what you mean now. I always liked to go and ref basketball games and I thought that was great but this year I found out that coaching is way better. First of all, it is better because there is a lot less running involve. Secondly, now I do not have to spend all Saturday helping, I can just go for an hour and coach. Lastly, it is great because now I have use for all of the speeches that Delmar would repeat to us every week. Now I get to let my team warm up and then talk to them for forty minutes and then tell them to run and warm up again. It really is cool to see all the excited faces when the kids finally score a basket. Anyways, good luck this season coach!
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to coach a little league team for HYBL, but I live in Narnia so it is pretty impossible for me to do so. Hahah. I would always hear Jessica and Heather talk about their team, how much they love to coach the little kids, and what they all have them do in their practices; which sound like so much fun! But, you and Gabriel are two awesome people and I bet you fellas are even better at coaching. :) I wish you guys the best of luck in your season!
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