I am a Blue Devil

It is safe to say that I have been neglecting my blogging duties after taking a week off along with receiving a few complaints from loyal readers. The past few days have been very fun for me so I will do my best to update you on what has been happening.

Last Friday, I got the opportunity to play in the student/faculty basketball game at the Tipton Middle School pep session. Going into it, I was quite nervous especially when I air balled my first jumper in warm ups. Plus, when the entire school (not to mention your entire basketball team) is watching you, the pressure goes up just a little bit more.

The exciting thing about it was that I played very well. I scored six points, garnered two rebounds, and dished out an assist in just six minutes of work even though I was dead tired by the end of the game. I think I did pretty well for being as nervous as I was.

Along with the same lines, our team had our awards program last evening. All I can say is that it was an honor to be there to celebrate how well the girls did this year. They most certainly deserve the best and I think everyone involved did a very good job of giving them just that.

The most surprising thing about the evening was a speech given by one of the parents at the start of the program. Simply put, it blew my dad and I away. His kind words really set the tone for a fantastic evening and made it very tough for either one of us to follow him. It was wonderful!

After the speech, we all crowded around the big screen to watch the highlight video that apparently has gotten a lot of people talking because of how much they enjoy it. For me, I think I have watched it over a hundred times but it never gets old. I am very glad that I made it even though it took a lot of time and patience to get it just right. But as good as people say the video is, it in no way can truly express how much fun this season was.

After the video was completed, Dad and I gave our review of each of our seasons. We were so appreciative just of the effort that our players gave this year that the wins did not seem to matter in the grand scheme of things. To be completely honest, we never really put too much focus into winning. We were much more concerned with how well we played the game and having fun as I think it should be for all sports.

It was pretty emotional for dad I am sure especially for him to remember that the girls asked him to be their coach this season along with finding out that it had been a lifelong dream of mine to coach with him one day.

We then gave out the awards with each girl receiving a "goodie" bag complete with the highlight video and other things that we had gotten them. After that, we concluded by thanking all of the parents for their support this season as they made it an absolute joy for us. It was indeed an honor to coach their daughters this season especially with them behind us.

With that, the awards program had concluded but this did not mean that people were ready to leave just yet. This had to be my favorite part of the evening as each one of the girls gave my dad and I hugs at the end along with requesting to take pictures. Words cannot even describe how great that felt.

This experience has indeed lifted me to a better place and these girls have made me a better person for which I am truly thankful. In retrospect, coaching these girls with my dad this season is the best thing that I have ever been apart of or ever done. I think their best quality is that as good as they are as basketball players; they are even better people which make them a fun group to be around. I am proud to have been their coach and cannot wait to coach them again next year.

Pride is a funny thing, in a way, for I am not a graduate of the school in which I coach. It is true that before this experience my colors were Red, White, and Black as I was a Western Panther.

Despite these facts, I know our team will rest assured when I say that I have always felt much more comfortable wearing the Blue and White of Tipton. Even though I am a Western graduate, I very much prefer and am proud to be known as a Blue Devil.