Super Week

Thank fucking goodness Friday is approaching. Not that it has been a bad week, but it’s just been go-baby-go like cherry lips. Starting off the new semester on the right foot by correcting every assignment the day I receive it, but still trying to finish all of the last semester’s grading piled up in stacks on my bedroom floor. Coordinating three different TA’s, whom you might imagine to be a godsend after having none during the first several months, but a 13-year old TA isn’t always the most helpful person despite his or her good intentions. The dryer suddenly stopped working, meaning the dirty clothes are piling up next to the old papers and I may or may not be on my last pair of clean underwear. And, of course…THE GAME. Yes, I need the weekend, I need the girlfriend, I need eight hours of sleep and some Nintendo Wii and some peace. But, hey, I’m not even complaining. Better busy than bored.

So, my career coaching record is 0-2. For both the A and B teams (“varsity” and “JV”, respectively) the offense really got bogged down. It’s probably because I haven’t taught the group any plays. I channeled Isiah Thomas moreso than Red Auerbach out there…I didn’t call a single timeout over the two games because it just didn’t occur to me; I was shouting out instructions and giving encouragement, but it didn’t hit me that I could affect the game like a coach instead of like a fan. Also, I left one girl in tears because I only played her for the last 55 seconds. From my perspective, I couldn’t think of a basketball team that has a 12-player rotation and going in I just assumed that not everyone would get onto the court. But the other players kept reminding me during the contest: “Heidi, hasn’t gone in”, “Coach, you forgot to play Heidi” and when I finally looked down the bench I saw Heidi, red-faced and teary-eyed and it’s like: “Holy shit, when the hell did THAT happen?”

But enough with the negatives. I’m pleased with the game because it highlighted our deficiencies. And we still have very skilled players; just gotta offer them more direction and structure. Today’s game was away and next week’s will be, also, giving us a few practices and one more game situation to set ourselves up for a victory at home.