Well we lost Friday night but it was a 62 point swing from last year. The final was 50-39. Still, a loss is a loss but I guess better than last years 108-35 humiliation.

“Chuck” the freshman and our junior point played the entire game. We only substituted with 4-sophomores. They worked very hard. Our opponent started 4-seniors and played 11 different girls. She tried to wear us out with various presses and frequent substitutions but honestly it looked like it was their team that was sucking wind in the 4th.

Last year she put in her starters for the final 2-1/2 minutes in a full court press as the crowd chanted and jeered for 100 points. This year she put in her starters for the final 2-minutes to stall because we kept getting uncomfortably close and our guards (including Chuck) had hit 4-three pointers. What a difference a year makes.

The head referee talked to me after the game about how amazed he was with “Chuck”. He said in his opinion she was the best overall defender on the court. She chipped in 7-points had a few steals and a couple assists.

DGS was there and said that the parents are all very happy with the change this season and are taking the loses in stride. I wish we had won a handful of those winnable early season games. It would look a lot better than our current 4-12.

All three teams bus down to Columbine for games tomorrow night. They are currently 13-3 so you can see where this is headed. On the good news side our senior should be ready to play again so that will help some.

The weekend was a little cool and windy so we could not take any walks. We watched a couple movies and read books and watched a pretty good football game. Pretty quiet all in all.

My boss did a driveby at Wayzilla’s company at lunch today. It is all still there with little change from early January. WayZ’s car was in the lot so I guess they still cling to life and her big change is still a mystery. I finally got enough information from her insurance company to put DD21 under my insurance. That at least covers her until she is 22. No other news.

Life is good.

Great report, coach. It sounds like a pretty amazing turnaround to me, and with all the time your underclassmen are getting, you are setting the school up for a couple of great seasons. Especially if Chuck doesn't turn pro early.

Hooray for you, Coach!


So glad to hear it! You must be doin something right.

Fox

We lost at Columbine on Tuesday 57-41 but it was a 21 point overall improvement from last seasons game. They had 4-senior starters and played a great inside game with their star post. Still we came back in the second quarter and tied the game at 16 with 3-1/2 minutes to go. That was not supposed to be happening and the home crowd was getting a little antsy about it. He called an angry time out and boy did they lower the hammer on the babies for a few minutes. We still kind of hung around until the last couple minutes of the game when we were finally gassed out and they got a few junk time scores to finish the game.

Several of our league losses have had large double-digit point improvements from last season. Baby steps.

It’s still kind of weird going there. This was my third or fourth game there since the shootings. It will be 10 years this April. They are on the 3rd generation of students since then. Still the same principal is there. Strange too that the only adult who died there was the girl’s basketball coach and that he was the same age I am now. I went to school with the husband of the librarian who was wounded.

They have a long case outside the gym with donated sports memorabilia dedicated to the shooting victims and the school. This is an amazing collection of signed jerseys, helmets, photos, balls, bats, hats, posters and stuff from anyone who was anybody in 1999. And yet you almost get the feeling that if the current student body had their choice, they would take all that stuff down. I understand how they feel.

We play at home tonight against the team we played when our star forward ended her season. We have come a long ways since that night but it will still be a pretty tough night. They were still pressing last time when up by over 40 points in the 4th. Nice.

I went out with DD21 last night after practice for dinner and a beer. It was a good time. She had a little “Mom moment” breakdown and tears during practice and had to leave the gym for a bit to gain her composure. It was triggered by her talking to one of my varsity players who has gone through the whole adultery, divorce, affairage and joint custody of her wayward father. He was one of those who remarried 15-minutes after the ink was dry on the divorce decree.

The girl does not want to stay with her father and her OP stepmother who she loathes and she is old enough to make that choice. However, she told DD that although her younger brother does not want to be there either, he does not have the choice. So she told DD until her brother can make the choice to go full time with her mother she will not abandon him. That will be the year she goes to college.

He has come to a few of his daughter’s games but as we talked about yesterday on SD’s thread, he sits alone away from the teams parents saying nothing. OP stepmother never comes. Adultery sucks.

Have a great weekend MBers. Time to put on my iPod Shuffle DD got me for Father’s Day and work on some equipment drawings.

Nice observation. I'm sure you're right. It's not their tradgedy. I'm sure they're tired of having to go to that school. It's a fine line--continuing to respect and honor those who died while not making it unnecessarily difficult on the new students. High school is confusing enough.

Yup. Life is confusing enough.

And THAT is what makes you such a great coach. You measure success by more than just wins. That's the kind of coach this particular team needs it seems.


I just hate this for the kids. I know DD15 is stuffing and I'm concerned how much that worsens the hurt and concerned about when it will bubble to the surface unbidden.

It's been said over and over again but I just can't believe that waywards are willing to lose their children. (or just simply give them up)

What kind of people are they?



Right back atcha, Coach.

Fox

We won Tuesday night against the school where I coached the boys last year. 58-56 in double overtime. What a ride that was. I have never lost a game in that gym. It was a packed house for a girls and boys double header.

We were down by 4 at the start of the 4th quarter but came back and had a 4-point lead in the last 2-minutes. Chuck went 7 of 7 from the free throw line in the 4th quarter. She won this game for us. This kid is special. She looks like a 7th grader out there with the varsity.

They cut it to 2-points and then with 6 seconds left in regulation one of their guards drove into the lane, crashes into several players and gets to the line. She was 0 for 5 from the line prior to these shots but of course nails them both. Overtime.

Both teams go nuts in the 1st 4-minute overtime and score 12 points each. Once again we were ahead with 6 seconds to go and the same girl drives the length of the floor, crashes into anything standing and gets to the line. She hits both again. 2nd overtime.

This time we stall out over half of the overtime. We were exhausted and I figured why play 4-minutes if we only need to play 1. The kids were very patient and we finally got our chance. Chuck finds a gap in their D and drives to the paint. The player guarding our post has to leave her to stop Chuck who dishes back to the uncovered post for the easy bucket. Did I mention this kid is special? They got up a couple shots but we held on.

Oh yeah, and Chuck manned up on their star who scores 19 points a night and holds her to 10 points. 5’-3” vs. 6’-1”. 98 lbs vs. 160 lbs. Special. I am telling you special.

Speaking of special, the power forward who suffered the knee injury went back to her Doc for a follow up and he released her to return to practice immediately and to play next week. He told her Dad he has never seen this kind of injury heal this quickly. She has no pain and a full range of motion. At practice last night she wore a brace but there was no evidence at all she had been injured. The power of youth and clean living I guess.

We have another game tonight at home. The season ends next Friday. Boy, does time fly by anymore.


My Plan B for life was 2-years old last week. It gets better all the time.

As far as I know Wayzilla has made no contact with DD since the brief call about the college books in January. She has completely disappeared. Must be all the fun she’s having.

Was there really ever any doubt that they would improve?




Nice job, Chuck!! That Chuck, she must have a pretty good coach.


Stoopid waywards.


Glad to hear from you, Coach. You must be doin' something right.....


Fox

chris,

Your coaching updates are always great to read. I'd like to try it someday myself with something I'm a little more passionate about.

I'm a long time reader and long time poster, but have a new way of presenting myself. You're an observant student of history, so it shouldn't be a problem for ya.

You have enacted the most amazing Plan B I've seen on this forum and commend you for it. It's great that the years pass and life gets better and better.

You're a great example to your DD and to the young girls you coach.

Great report, coach! I saw it and then started looking for Chuck--how did Chuck do? Exciting stuff.

You're kidding! It just seems like last week that you were gearing up for the season! Wow. Time does fly.

We nearly pulled a HUGE upset last Thursday night. We played a team that started the season ranked 5th in the state and has the top 5A scorer in Colorado. They were up 14-11 after one quarter but we were playing better basketball. It all came together in the 2nd and we were up 25-17 at the half. The third was back and forth but we extended our lead to 37-24. Then the wheels came off.

I told them between quarters we have to continue doing everything we had been to finish this game on top. They got scared. Scared to win. Scared to lose. Rather than playing to win they tried to play not to lose. That never works. At one point he had 5-seniors on the floor together. Their post player went to the line 13 times in the forth quarter and hit a couple baskets. Add a couple nice 3’s and they escaped with a nice 47-44 win. They scored nearly half of all their points in the 4th. Arg!

For those needing the “Chuck Update” she hit a 3, a free throw and made an assist on the best backdoor cut I have seen by any team this season. Oh, and of course played solid defense.

Great game. Ended poorly.

More than a half dozen people came to me after the game telling me again what an unbelievable turnaround this team has made this season and how great it is going to be next year. Poo. I did not want to wait for next year. I want it all!! I want it all now!!!

This loss put the nail in the coffin of us having any chance of going to the State Tournament. No Hoosier’s storybook end for us.

Oh well. So here I go; ummmmm…….wait til next year.

We play tonight against another winning team at home. Plus just to make it a little more challenging, I got to suspend my starting point guard for the night for missing practice without a valid excuse last Friday. Oh goody!! She scores 12 points a night like a clock. Terrific.

Chuck will make her first start as a point guard tonight. Go Chuck. Please. She is likely the only starting freshman point guard in 5A ball.


Hope everyone had an endurable V-Day. Ours was great. DGS and I did the dinner out thing and it was very, very nice. Nice table by a fireplace and great food.

DD21 stopped by Saturday to drop off a couple cards and pick up her annual red heart shaped box-o-sugar and carbohydrates.

She got a Valentine in the mail from Wayzilla. She said it was very sappy and was all about what great friends mothers and daughters become as they mature. Wayzilla simply signed it with no notation. DD thought that under the current circumstances it was a very odd card. Otherwise, DD told me they have not spoken for weeks. You know, sort of like what people do to their good friends.

Okay, back to work.

Go Chuck! Good luck tonight.

Hearing about the team, their turnaround and your obvious part in it, and the reaction by the girls and parents has been great. I'm already dreading the off-season and lamenting how long it's going to take to get to next year.

ETA: Nice word for Valentine's Day. Endurable. I pretty much ignored it. The softball game, hung out with friends, and then finished it off by shooting zombies online with my brother and nephew. Pretty good day.

Nothing says "Happy Valentines" like shooting zombies

Maybe that's why we have not heard from Silentlucidity.

The last varsity game is tonight. DD21’s team plays in the morning and then the season is over.

Our only senior kept tearing up at her final practice last night. She is a great kid and will do well

We have a virtual zero chance of making the State Tournament that would not involve several natural disasters and many freakish and bizarre accidents to befall the rest of the 5A league. But you can always hope.

We took a long bus ride out onto the Colorado prairie Wednesday night and got a nice 73-58 win. That was good. The girls are happy.

I am used to occasional emails from parents over the years offering me “helpful” advice as to my coaching abilities but few like this one I got today.

“Hi guys – Just in case I don’t get a chance this evening I’d like to take a moment to say Thank you! Thanks for a great season for K and all the girls. After last year, well, we just weren’t sure what was going to happen – thanks for taking on the challenge, sticking with them, and helping them to look toward their future with SLHS basketball. You both take care of the girls on and off the court – as a parent you just can’t ask for more from a coach. Thanks for all your hard work and dedication”



Occasionally I remember why I do it.


Have a wonderful weekend MBers. The weather is supposed to be nice here and I hope to get in 10-12 miles of walking with DGS. Spring is right around the corner. It's going to be a nice one I think.

Chris,

It's hard to say good bye,,,,,and I have a feeling that despite not having the record you all would like, having you as her coach in her final year made it very special & she will remember it fondly all of her life.

My goodness, this


Is the dream message of every coach from every parent.

Well done!

Enjoy the weather & the walking!

You are a class act, Chris. Thanks for coaching some of us here, too. It's a game we didn't chose to play, but it's helpful when others share their experiences.

Wow, what a great letter. WH coached soccer for years and after every game we could count on a call from an upset parent because their kid didn't get treated fairly blah blah blah. It got old. And it was usually from a parent who would never think of volunteering their time to help coach. When DD was a teen, she attended ref school so that she could ref games for the little ones (6, 7, 8 yrs old). She quit after 3 games because the parents gave her such a hard time. There are a few good ones out there though.

Ah, yes, hunting season, oh, um, I mean the season of love...WHATEVER!!!


My company is three weeks away from a move to a new location on the other side of B'more, so it's helter skelter at work!!! ZOIKS!! Busy busy busy.

Maybe you should be a life coach, Chris...hmmmm, woodchippers and inspirational speaches. Yup, right up yer alley.

Chris:

SILENT... but deadly! :twobyfour:

LG