As I pack my things to leave Chillicothe, I decided to stop back by the PAL blog; its my way of revisiting my first love [basketball] and paying tribute to a game that has given me so much more than basketball. It’s also my way of applauding and thanking those who journeyed with me, in creating a fully-funded girls bitty-ball program.  I delighted myself in working with a wonderful group of  strong, intelligent, young atheletes.  To ALL involved (players, parents, coaches, PAL administration, and community supporters):  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  Thank you for your belief in me and, more importantly, your belief in what these young girls could accomplish together.

I took a break from packing today and watched the trailer for the Lebron James movie.  (Lebron James Story: More Than A Game)(The Nike Official site for More Than A Game)   In the trailer the coach stated that he began coaching Lebron’s 5th grade team in a gym with a linoleum floor.   It was then that I began to think of my PAL girls, who got their start in a similar gym.  My mind quickly fast forwarded to what they can become together.  I’m excited for their future!  I’m excited for how great they can be!

The girls in the PAL program accomplished far more than anyone expected.   They arrived, smilely-faced and ponytailed, at a cracker-box gym (linoleum floor and all), expecting to improve each day.  They set goals, volunteered in their community, encouraged other girls to excel, and pushed themselves without questioning, while glaring tenaciously at their opponents (underdog or not) cross court. The program sprouted a 2009 Jr. WNBA All-Star player, an Enforcers travel team adorning a record 38 wins and 6 losses, and two expansion teams (4th and 5th grades).

Towards the end of our journey, I found myself trying to step outside of myself to truly enjoy the magic that was taking place in that gym.  The PAL girls talked eachother through practices. They bruised the male practice team. Their passes and cuts were sharper than they had ever been.  They knew their fast-break offense and how to transition into their secondary offense.  They knew 3 full-court presses, 8 half court defenses, and a multitude of offensive plays.  When focused, these girls made basketball look like poetry in motion.  They made it look so “not-like-6th-grade giiiirrrrls” playing basketball; they were Enforcers who never practiced like 6th graders at all.

Our end-of-season banquet left me brokenhearted and smiling, if you can imagine that chex-mix of feelings: content in all we accomplished together, yet not satisfied because I felt like we have so much further to go… but the hour glass said, “It’s time to let go.”  I closed the doors of PAL that evening with the  “we are still just getting started” feeling embedded deep in my heart.  It was then, I realized that the whole time I thought I was coaching them, they were really coaching me.  I am better from the lessons they taught me.

These girls have now out grown their PAL t-shirts, their Enforcers uniforms, bitty-ball practices, and lessons of how to treat others.  They’ve out grown the tennis ball dribbling, small orange cones, Queen of the Scene books, and jock jams cds.  Yet, I know they have not out grown me; Just like a throw-back jersey’s revival, a “Coach B Comeback” may be right around the corner…

You may ask, Why?…Why are you leaving when you have a fair chance to coach at least half the crew again?…and…Why do you predict a comeback, even before you’re gone?……

Well, I can’t turn down the unique job opportunity I have set before me, so I take this opportunity knowing deep in my heart, coaching is still what makes me happiest.–We always return to what makes us happy because, well, it’s true what they say life is: The Pursuit of Happiness.  I will come full-circle coaching again; don’t know where or when.  I just hope that there will be a group of strong, intelligent, young athletes, smiley-faced and pony-tailed,  willing to meet me at the intersection of  iAM Street and iCan Avenue.  Their reward will be my continued promise:  iWILL outwork them.

I CAN & I WILL,
Coach B