Well here it is...near the end of track season. I don't quite know how to sum it up exactly. All I know for sure is that it went really, really fast! I think this is the first time I feel like I didn't teach my throwers enough. I know when you see them they look the part, but they didn't get the principles of what they're doing and that kills me! Granted, if I were looking for excuses, I do have a few of them that will help me feel better, but I am not going to cash them in.
- I was two weeks late in coming out for track. I coach high school basketball and after a pretty successful season, we had a chance at a post-season. Something like that is a pretty big accomplishment for us. :D
- I had a lot of athletes who tried out for throwing this season. I had over twenty kids at one time. These kids are young teenagers who still whine, cry and get their feelings hurt when I get after them. It's like taking my reading class to practice everyday except I can't send them to detention or give them referral. It's better, I get to make them run or send them home. :)
- I can just simply say I didn't have any athletes. I didn't have any kids who know how to compete. This isn't true at all because at this age most kids are goofy and a little uncoordinated. Yes, there are the gifted few but we usually call them sprinters. Besides, I have been doing this a little under ten years and I have been able to mold the most uncoordinated and sometimes the laziest kids into decent throwers. So, according to me, all of my throwers have the potential to be athletes. :)
- The weather this season sucked. We didn't get enough reps like I would have wanted. When we can't practice outside we can't throw and we lose a day. We do have indoor implements, but when we are inside so is the high school. Even in track, a hierarchy exists, we take what we can get and make the best of it. :)
- My last excuse is usually my favorite one - We didn't have enough time. If I had another week or two weeks I know we would have done better. This may or may not be true but it's always up for discussion. In real life that one or two weeks more maybe one or two weeks too long. See...always a gray area...no real way to tell.
I think that list is pretty conclusive of all the elements that made my track season seem a little bit lacking and unsuccessful. However, the truth of the matter is these kids finishing the season and having a chance to compete in the final track meet is quite the accomplishment. Here's what they have come away with and it makes my job worthwhile:
- These kids unknowingly have learned to meet expectations and have learned commitment.
- These kids have learned how to be competitiors.
- They have improved their over physical health and mental toughness to face obstacles and overcome them.
- They have learned to represent themselves and their school with pride.
- They have improved themselves by learning to adapt with different kinds of people who are not a part of their normal social circles.
- They have learned to be accepting and encouraging as they all took on a sport they know nothing about.
Well the results are pretty obvious, the kids always come away with more than they bargained for. It's their accomplishments I am proud of more than my own. I think I can proudly say Bobcat Throwing at Mesa Alta Junior High was a SUCCESS! :)
