Why do I do it???

I found myself asking the question I ask every December . . . When I find myself at the gym, late on a weeknight, with a whistle in my mouth and little people running all around me. After the great Referee Fiasco of last season, I promised myself I would not do this again. And yet, I find myself trying to teach a simple offense to a bunch of 12 year old boys who have too much Guitar Hero and AIM running around in their heads to get it.

I remember the first team I ever coached . . . Intramurals in 1983. I had a junior high team that won it all. I did it because it got me out of class to go and have practices with them. I did it because all of the other guys on my varsity team were doing it. In the end, I loved it and we WON.

Through the years, I coached the jv team at my old school three times. The first two seasons were good . . . The third not so good, but I had fun. Ever since I have been at Ebenezer, I have coached basketball. Not the best coach out there, but no one loves it more.

I guess that is why I do it. I DO know more about basketball than most any of those Maple Park guys know about baseball. If I could practice them five days a week, we would be a killing machine. But I have to settle for once a week, and a whole lot of fun.

That is not so bad. That is why I do it.