Tonight was another one of those days that just made me feel a little melancholy.

#uhoh

Nothing bad, just different. I’d planned on going to the basketball game tonight as it was my new school against my old school. We had basketball practice, so I wouldn’t get to see the junior varsity play, which I didn’t like too much. So, I’m the coach, and you know what, I can be late! So I stopped by the gym as the girls were starting to warm up because I had to tease one of my former players. She was adamant, “I’m not going out for basketball,” and “I hate basketball, why would I play it in high school?”

#ha

So I found that player, said hi to her, and asked her how the season was since she wasn’t going out for basketball. “Shut up, Mr. J,” was her response and all I could do was smile! I love it when the girls do better than they think they can.

#Itoldyouso

We had a fairly terrible practice, so it was good to get some popcorn and watch basketball. One of the reasons I went was because a player from last year emailed to “remind me” that they’d be playing and if I wasn’t too busy, could I come watch?

#awwwwwww

Hush. I had the chance to talk with a couple of teachers I’d not seen in a while and watched my former school beat my current school. One of the things we are emphasizing in practice, changing the mindset of “oh we are just _______” to “We are _______ and we can play with anyone! Tonight, you could see the mindset change in action. No, our team is not that good, but they are giving it their all and completing until the horn sounds, which doesn’t sound like this was always the case. That was my post-practice talk with the girls, how we have to work on mindset and changing it from “well, we’ll just get beat,” to “We may not win, but we will complete.” Not an easy thing, not at all, but a needed change.

The player who emailed me had a great game, but I was approached by other players and talked with them a bit as well, and that’s where the melancholy comes from. I miss that connection of being able to talk with multiple grade levels. Sure, it will come, but it just made my heart a little sad having to leave a place where I was at home because the job was wearing me down. Yes, I love teaching, and I wish I could have stayed at my old school, but I just couldn’t. I’m happy with my new teaching partner, but miss that connection to the program and to the other teachers in the building.

I’ll see them again. I loved seeing my former player. I sent an email back to her, telling her what I saw and how she should not take any sh*t for anyone for being a freshman and wanting to play. She’s got the skills and will be a starter before the season ends.

Me? I’ll keep at it in my new school, keep building the connections that I’m good at, and keep trying to help my students and players believe that they can do what they put their minds to.

It might even rub off on me too! 🙂

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