I coach my final regular season basketball game Sunday

[Darrell KSR]

We have a bye week-after-next, and then our end-of-season tournament.

Basketball has been close to 20 years of coaching--always with a child on a team. Occasionally with 2 teams in a season. And this is it. When they head to high school, I will retire full-time to being a Dad, fan, and non-coach. Will be a big change for me.

I have 12 boys on the team, most of whom I have coached for eight years. It will be a very sad day for me when this season ends. I've always had "next year" to look forward to. Not this time.

Wish the boys well. If we win, we get a favorable draw into the tournament, where we will only have to win one game to make the championship--which will be held, this year, at Birmingham-Southern College, at Bill Battle Coliseum. Thank you to Joe Dean, Jr., who generously donated the University's arena for championship day for our league as a servant to the community.

Remember the scene in "Hoosiers" where the boys visit the championship arena before they play? If my boys get the chance, they'll do the same thing.

And think good thoughts for our point guard, who is out "4 to 6 weeks" with a broken hand. 4 weeks would have him back for the tournament. 5 weeks would have him back the week after the title game.

Two or three more games to coach, and then I'm done. Wow. It's starting to hit me this week.

[suncat05]

Best wishes for your final games. I hope you win them all!

[Darrell KSR]

Thanks, Suncat. I'd just love it for the kids. Really good kids.

We have the last practice of the week--it's a time nobody else wanted, so we took it as a 3rd practice (nobody else practices more than twice). They work Science Olympiad, martial arts, baseball (now), soccer, you name it around the practices. We often practice until 9:30 on Friday night, and then I set up the gym for basketball the next day (moving the bleachers out, setting up players and coaches chairs, the scoreboard, admission gate, sweep floors, vacuum, etc. Not one time do I do that by myself. The kids will, without asking, grab a mop or broom, grab the carts and start setting up the chairs, lock the basketball carts up in the gym, change the height of the baskets depending on the first game, etc. What should be an hour long process takes about 15 minutes every Friday night because of them. That's just one example of the quality of the kids.

I will miss them.

[Darrell KSR]

Lost 29-28. We're still playing without our PG/leading scorer and with our starting center sick, but we could've won the game.

We fell behind 10-0 in the 2nd quarter before we finally woke up. I don't understand why we acted not ready to play. We fought hard, and we were down by 6 at halftime. In the 4th quarter, we cut it to 3.

Our opponent fouled out 3 starters. They play them like crazy, almost never substituting. We played 11 players in the first half, attempting to wear them down. It worked, but we could not score at the end of the game.

I was so proud of the kids. We knocked the ball loose, and dove for the ball and the player screamed timeout an instant before a tie ball was called (possession arrow in their favor) with 0:12 to play, and us down 1, our last timeout. We moved the ball quickly down the court, missed a 6-foot runner that would've won the game, and the ball bounced out off our opponent with 0.2 seconds left.

And here told me how much smarter my 14-year old kids were than I am.

0.2 seconds left. By rule, only time for a tip. Very hard with 5"3 players to do. But even worse, when coaches are screaming (since no timeouts left), "catch and shoot"--"catch and shoot"--which, had they listened, would've ended the game by rule.

Our two guards--one of them 5'7, and our 3rd tallest player on the team--know the rule. One lines up behind the FT line, and on "break" dashes to the front of the rim--wide open--and the ball is lobbed to his right hand, where he attempts a tip-in.

And misses.

We lose.

Tears fall. And that's just the coach.

Not really, but what a game. We kept telling them we would wear the team out. We've got 12 players (one out with a broken hand), but the sick center played, and they all play, and all contribute. They never think they're out of a game.

Weird league--the # 1 team is undefeated, but they lost their best player to high school. We played them 2 weeks ago (without our best player/broken hand) and lost by 3, at their gym. Teams # 2, 3 and 4 are all tied in record, and all split with each other, so a coin toss will decide the seeds. We will either be the # 2 seed, # 3 seed or # 4 seed in our tournament. Our PG gets x-rays Thursday, and good chance he comes out of a cast then and into a splint, which would allow him to play. He won't be shooting much, but he gets so many steals, layups and assists, he would be a welcome sight to be back.

Don't write our obituary yet. We may lose the first tournament game, but I hope we make it to the finals. Man, those kids have a lot of character. I have never had more fun coaching a team than this one.

EDIT--by the way, I walked off the court, and started hitting myself in the head. When we fouled out two of their big guys, there was no reason we had to match them with their weaker rebounding substitutes. I should've immediately gone to a better scoring, better FT shooting 5-guard lineup which we've used in years previous to this one. Huge mistake. Our low post players were 1-7, 1-4, 0-1 from the FT line for a total of 2-12. They also missed a boatload of layups.

Loss definitely on me.

[jazyd]

Darrell, having coached girls softball for years I understand what you went through.

But as they grow older you will get to enjoy seeing them and remember little things they did on the court, some funny, some heartbreaking, some will just bring a smile. Then you will see them graduate, get married and have children. And you will know thst not only will you have touched their lives but they have touched yours. And one day one will see you and introduce you to their small child...I want you to meet "coach Darrell"...just try not to tear up :)

Great job and thanks

[suncat05]

I think you just may have a present coming your way if your point guard gets to come back this week. And it sure sounds to me like you have your very own team of "Unforgetables" there........

[ETWNAPPEL]

Hat off to you Darrell. I had a similar coaching experience that covered 3 sons, 4 sports, and 20 years. My last basketball game was a loss in the finals of the Louisville Catholic School tournament. Quite a feet for us to even get there.

I do have to say, I love being a normal spectator parent more than I ever thought I would. No more leaving work early to make it to practice. No more "meetings" with parents after the games. No more paying for several kids meals and equipment. No more spending time with other peoples kids that could be devoted solely to mine. I loved coaching. It was a big part of who I was. But man I am not anxious to go back!

For years I coached the Royals in our city league. When the real royals made the world series this season I post some old pics on FB of our teams. Loved all the messages and comments I received from the "now adult" players from those teams. It was wonderful.

Congrats.

[CitizenBBN]

Somehow I imagine, no matter how hard you try to get out, they'll pull you back in. But no doubt it'll be different without the dad aspect to it.

For whatever reason this thread makes me think of one the old-timers will all remember, the Navy Blue Angels. I think that one was actually therapy for us in those days, and very entertaining. Your coaching of these teams has long been woven into KSR, not sure we can let you quit it completely.

[MickintheHam]

I always had fun coaching but it was a better experience running the press box and PA System. It took me a while to understand how much the kids loved hearing their names and warming up to music. I had a blast and the coaches loved it!

[Darrell KSR]

Quick update--bad news on the broken hand. Doctor says two more weeks. That's the week after the tournament, so he's lost for the season.

We've lost our top two kids this year (one to the all-star team), and they're still fighting. Never say never. Need a little luck on a coin flip, and a little luck in winning a game (hopefully at home). If we can do that, I'll be satisfied.

[suncat05]

Here's hoping that you and your team can pull it off! Wishing you good luck!