3 days in....

3 days....3 days into basketball season which means just 3 practices and we've already had 2 kids quit.  I really was in shock when I found this out yesterday.  After just 2 practices can you really say that you've "tried" something? I certainly don't think so.  What's worse is that they didn't even bother to tell their coaches....they just didn't show up yesterday.  From what we've heard they said they didn't like all of the running we made them do.....last time I checked in order to play most sports you have to be in shape and have stamina to make it through an entire game.  And to be honest they really have not had to "run" that much.   If 3 suicides, 2 half court and back/down and backs, plus 2 more down and backs is a lot of running then I must have been training for a marathon when I played ball.  I am pretty sure they would cover that much ground in the first 2 minutes of a game (which I am sure they would have expected to be on the court for).

In order to succeed at something you have to work at it.  That's why they had summer workouts that they were required to attend.  We actually had 2 other girls who played last year show up at tryouts who between them came to ONE summer workout and expected to be allowed to play.  The school we coach at has a policy that if you don't make a percentage of your summer workouts them you are not allowed to tryout and they were well aware of the policy, but I guess they thought they were above it.

As for the ones who quit this week I just don't understand what they expected....it's the first week of practice....it's SUPPOSED to SUCK.  You're supposed to work hard, and run until you feel like your legs are going to fall off.  But it makes you better. This is when the group of girls who want to play ball become a team.  They push themselves and each other harder than they thought they could go.  They encourage each other to be better and not accept anything but their best.  This is when leaders step up and take charge.

I know that they're going to quit I don't need to worry about it, and that it's much better to have them quit now than have to deal with them not wanting to be there later on down the road. But there's a part of me that wants to talk to them and let them know that you can't just "quit" when you don't like how things are going in your life.  These kids are 16 and 17 years old.  If they quit playing a sport because a little bit of running is hard, what are they going to do when they get a job and their boss tells them to do something they don't want to do....quit?  Go home to mom and dad and say the mean boss man made me do something I didn't want to do?  I would hope not.   My parents NEVER let me quit.....anything. Trust me, there were several different teams and sports I played that I wanted to quit for various reasons, but the rule in our house was that if you started a season you had to finish it...no buts about it.  At the time I HATED that, but those seasons ended as they all do.  Those seasons made me appreciate the seasons that I did enjoy even more. Sometimes you are put in situations to be tested, and those situations give you and opportunity to either runaway and quit or to thrive and learn something about yourself. I know I am a better person today because of it.  I don't quit when things get hard or when I am told to do something I don't want to do.  That's life.

On the upside, we have 9 girls who ARE committed to this team. I am very excited about this season.  I was shocked watching tryouts the first day, and it was VERY apparent that the girls put in a lot of work this summer.  Example: first day last year we had them dribble down the court with one hand and dribble back with the other.  I think that maybe 1 or 2 made it down the court and did not lose control. There were basketballs flying everywhere. This year on the first day they did dribbling drills down the court with 2 balls at a time and they could ALL do it under control.  It was AMAZING.  Their hard work this summer has paid off big time so far.  I really really hope that it carries over into games.  You can drill all day long, but you have to be able to apply it to game situations.

I am so grateful to have this opportunity again this year to work with this team.  I really have high hopes and hope the girls on this team do, too!