Hoy requested some more "personal" stuff so I will comply. Plus I think it will add a dynamic of the insight to the readers of how I think and do things... so here is the first
Girls basketball post...
I started clinics in October. The clinics are for every kid, both boys and girls, 9-10. From these clinics are where we get new talent for the travel teams. My whole team from last year (8 yr - undefeated) all showed up for the clinic in addition to 15 new girls. This year we were entering a more competitive league (my first in it). I was advised to make cuts and field one team, putting the other girls back in the league from last year, which was really more of a rec league. We went undefeated last year in that league and were pretty much scorned because it was a different community.
I liked all of our girls from last year but lost two because of their wanting to play up with the 10's. both of these girls are sick and play extremely above their heads. I picked up alot of new younger girls with some talent, and just decided that I would field two teams in the new league.
I had a father agree to coach the second team and two others accept the assistant position with both of us. When we chopped the teams we had an issue distributing the talent.
My daughter plays a 2 guard. She is small but has a handle and sets pics like no one elses business. she is very heady about the game and knows where she should be and more importantly where and how the ball needs to be distrubuted among the other players based on who the competition is. I was excited to coach her again this year and really try to expand her ability as a point guard. Which is where she is more comfortable playing, but there is another girl who just has mad skills and because of her size and tenacity gets up the lane quickly and makes a lot of baskets. We play on ten ft baskets and my daughter is just to small right now to be able to drive the lane without getting fouled. Being as small as she is she also cant reach the basket from the foul line on a consistent basis so we would be giving up a lot of point/ shot opportunites with her running the offense.
So, that being said, when we started to break up the talent and discussing who would absolutely have to play on whose team (daughters with coaches, etc...) we found a little problem. There wasn't enough talent at the guard position to distribute fairly. I spoke about this with my wife, and I guess "C" had overheard the conversation. She came to me about a week before we had to submit rosters to the league and said, Dad, I think I want to play for coach Lee.
I have to say I was taken aback a little. I asked her why, and she said word for word, "I think we get after each other a little to often, and it disruputs the whole practice from time to time. I think each team would be better off if you and I were not together."
My mouth dropped for a second, and I said as a coach, not a father... Never mind what you think. I will handle the personel decisions and you will play where I tell you.
Now, I couldn't really understand where her request was coming from. I didn't know she heard the conversations with the wife. I spoke with the other coaches, and since both teams were practicing together we pretty much knew how each girl was progressing and were together on all drills and plays . Both coaches, separately, told me that it was clearly visible that I treated my own daughter a little more harshly than the others. Which is pretty much status quo I think for most coaches and their own kids.
At any rate, I went to her and said, listen I understand your point but I'm not yelling at you or treating you any different just because you are my daughter, it's because i want you to progress a little more faster so I give you more attention. she laughed at me and said "dad, i'm just trying to give you outs for when you have to decide on who plays on what team."
Now, I do teach her to play poker, and she knows how to play, and understands the jargon, but to go "outs" on me just really excited the hell out of me. My wife was sitting there and asked, what did you just say? she responded with a brief synopsis of her reply and wife said, "no, did you say outs?" C laughed and said yeah! Wife looked at me as rolled her eyes as if to say, ENOUGH! already...
So C is on coach Lees team and is progressing at a much faster rate than I could have ever done on my own. Lee is a great coach and very patient with the girls. He coached the HS Boys level for several years and has more basketball knowledge than I do.
I have the stronger team talent wise becuase my back court is so aggressive and has a little more experience than hihs team,but he certainly has more talent. I'm happy to report that C is having a great time with her team and we actually play each other on Friday and saturday. back to back games. I plan on double teaming her!
Congrats to Evy35 and Swimmom on going heads up in the Skillzzz game last night! Two WOMEN and two RPT'ers
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