LEARNING FROM OTHERS

The High Hoops season has ended, and it was a totally different experience for all of us this year. Last year, I was one of the coaches, Bear wasn't on the team, and the team was in way over its head in most games. We had to play most of our games against teams that were older, more experienced, and more talented.

This year, I didn't coach, Bear got to play, and for the most part the games were reasonably competitive. We got to play against teams that were more on our level, so that was nice for the girls.

Not being the coach allowed me to observe the team, the player interactions, how the coaches handle things, and got to watch O and Bear just play. That has been an interesting perspective, because I've been so engrossed in the past that I wasn't able to really just enjoy the girls and the way they play.

The coach basically rotated several girls in and out of the guard spots, with both of my girls being part of that 5 player rotation. Bear got the least amount of time probably, with O getting among the most. I think that was good for the Bear. She got to observe from the bench, and see how others played and reacted.

When the season started, Bear was very nervous about playing, and how she would do. By the end of the season, she was the probably the most aggressive of all the guards, both on offense and defense. O's game came along well too, as she was refining things in her game that a lot of kids don't do.

I think the best thing about this season though, was that we all got to learn something. As the picture above shows, sometimes you learn from people and places you might not expect. I learned what it's like to be a parent on the sidelines, watching and thinking how I would do things different. I learned that there is a totally different vibe on the sidelines then on the bench, and that it's probably best to ignore that when you are on the bench. O learned that you aren't always going to love the people you have to work with, but that you can still be successful with those people. I also think O gained a measure of respect for Bear, seeing how hard she plays despite being so much smaller then almost all of the competition. I think Bear learned a little about patience. She's used to being the star, and she wasn't on this team. She learned about gaining confidence, and that believing in yourself can carry you a long way. And lastly, I think she learned about hard work. She wasn't satisfied sitting the bench, so she started practicing harder at home. I think by the end of the season she knew that she could compete with anyone on our team, and most other teams. Success leads to wanting to work harder to achieve more success, and Bear has been working harder than ever.

So another year is in the books, and I think it was a good one for both girls. I enjoyed watching them play, without the stress of having to coach them. I'm looking forward to that opportunity again should it arise in a couple years. Until then, I'll just keep watching, learning, and enjoy watching them learn, both about basketball and life.