The death of my coaching career

People have been asking how my summer was because it is the last week before I start back with pre-planning. I have to catch myself in how I answer. At first, I reply it was good then change my response because it has not been good. Actually, it has been the worst summer I have ever had.

 

I did not get to coach the volleyball team I so badly wanted to coach.  I wavered in telling the administration what I wanted to do, and in the end I asked to work part-time and coach my volleyball team.  At first, I did not know exactly what I wanted to do.  My final contract said full time p.e. teacher, and I was not coaching volleyball.  This was going to be their big year.  My setter was a senior, and my two middle hitters were juniors.  I expected them to be in the final four this year.

I was at a volleyball camp and some of my girls on my volleyball team were there.  One of them asked me if I was coaching varsity next year.  I was going to wait until the camp was over before I told them.  I did not want them mumbling and carrying on like teenagers do when they are upset about something, so I told them.  I knew I was going to cry, and I did.  It was real hard for me.  I was concerned about a particular girl because of the bond we have acquired over the last few years.  I saw she was upset and had tears in her eyes, so I pulled her to the side and talked to her.  She did not want for there to be change.  She wanted for me to be the coach and have our great road trips as we traveled to the out-of-town games.  We talked for a long while.  I told her I loved her and gave her a hug.  I told her to put her chin up because everyone would be watching her and her attitude after she found out the bad news.

When I first had her on my team, she was going through a period of rebellion.  I constantly would talk with her in my office.  One day, she almost quit the team.  I prayed for her often and never gave up on her.  I have never in all my life seen someone turn around their life like she did.  It was a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn.  I would frequently tell her how proud I was of her and how she was going to be the leader of the team.  The team would look to her for leadership and direction.

I talked with her a few weeks ago, and she had not been going to the open gyms during the summer because she did not think she would have a good attitude.  I was so proud of her for being so mature.  A week ago, I talked with her again.  She made reference to it being hard wanting to play, and I told her it has been hard for me too.

She told me one or possibly two other players were not going to play.  I talked with the other girl yesterday, and she said she was not going to play.  One of the girls said the reason she played last year was because of me.  Here was a team that was solid, and now it is starting to break up.  They will still be very good, and hopefully will make it to the final four.

***** I chose the ostrich photo because the team used an ostrich as our "mascot," and we had a personal joke about the ostrich.