Must be something in the water....

I don't know about your school, but the place I was at last had a policy that if a kid quit a sport, he could not play the next sport (i.e. they quit football, can't play basketball).

We had a rule about doing it in the same season. A kid quit baseball to run track, I was a track assistant. I didn't want to let him do it, but the baseball coach gave in and said it was okay with him so the kid was allowed to slide.

Interesting idea about making it carry over to the next season though.

I feel for ya! We've got numbers issues as well. 15 sophomores and 9 frosh. With the new directive of having a sophomore team & a frosh team, we're really scrambling. Official practice starts tomorrow so we're hoping we'll pull in more sophs & frosh BUT even if we pull 5 each, that's still cutting it close.

Thanks for the support and stories guys------doc ur right coach what we got----we lined up for Db drills yesterday and had 2 juniors and 4 freshman! LOL well that s all we got so we did what we could----dont know if I mentioned this but yesterday was the best pract we have had in about 2 years---maybe there is something to the dead weight thing

Keep grinding doc---I lost one today 2nd stringer but he would have played alot---down to 3 sophs on whole team and only 1 sr Most of team are Jrs. We also had a good pract today I will tell you one thing they are getting a ton of reps lol. Hard to do any team work though.

After pract I read them the Shakespear quote on band of bros. and told them about the true battle of Thermopalaye (SP?) we are down to 36 incl frosh----so just keep keepin on and the true warriors will stay

We all build monuments in the kids we teach, coach, help and raise.

I believe life is about a journey. Our life depends really on how we overcome the challenges we face, not at an ambiguous destination at which we arrive at.

I just left a school to finally arrived back at my alma mater(played for two years and coached for six at this place). It was what I always wanted. I changed careers finished a Master's program at nights and on the weekends, paid off bills (so we could live at a lower income), even bought a house right down the street from the school.

When I received my teaching certificate I had to move to get my first job, then I came back but continued to work in what I thought was a lesser school. I was excited to be able to now ride my bike to practice instead of drive for 30 minutes.

Now I have arrived. Everything I worked for, only now; I really doubt if I made the correct choice. This is the lowest talent pool I have ever seen at my alma mater. I am coaching a position that I have no clue about and I am frustrated. I miss the relationships with the last school. I coached Oline at that school and everyone knew that I was a good coach, but now I have doubts in my abilities and my current situation.

Point of the matter is, whether it is a losing tradition, a group of irrate parents, kids who don't show up or nine million other pitfalls we face; it is all good. We have to take the good with the bad and realize that we do make a difference and we do matter to the ones who count. Last time I checked not one of us woke up today wondering how we could ruin someone's life or try to lose a football game. If we show up, care for the kids and put our best foot forward in the best interest of the team, we cannot help but to succeed.

The only real disparity in how we judge our success is by how our society measures it and what we truly deem success. I have known a lot of coaches who were winners, but truth of the matter is they were jerks and had miserable situations at home. Am I that type of person or coach? No, and winning is not why I do it either. I do it for the kids, so they might think better of themselves and have a better chance in life.

An acqaintance of mine, passed away yesterday after a six year battle with a rare form of cancer. He was 39 and had six kids who were all school age. I hate to mention it, but when I heard about it two things crossed my mind 1) what about the wife and especially the kids and 2) he left a most powerful mark on this world and built monuments in his children that will be around long after the fact.

I don't care if we as a coaches win or lose or if kids quit on us. Sure, we have "some" ownership in that, but what I hear in reading your posts is that you are a lot like me, is that you care for the kids you coach and the school you work at. And in the end, aside from giving a great effort (100%, 100% of the time) you are a success and the seeds you have planted will change people's lives forever.

We never arrive in life, because we are driven to help kids and to coach and therefore we will always be on a journey. Good luck coaches, please let me know how your seasons go and if there is anything I might do to help.

PS: If winning is all that matters, then what do you have after you lose?

[clap, clap, clap @ Coach Orr]

And that my friends...is why we continue to do...what we do.

Making a positive impact on other's lives...especially our own family members.

First kudos for keepin things in perspective Coach Orr,
Tampa what school? grew up in Sarasota went to Riverview LONGGGGGGG time ago LOL. What do you think turned it around for you guys?? That is what we are experiencing right now

Not trying to put any one out here but I did a devotion for our teachers this morning (Christian School) and my goal was to encourage them as we are about to start classes. With the trials some of us have already experienced I thought I would simply offer a little of that encouragement to ALL of the teachers on this board. Remember, as coaches, we are all teachers, and therefore BLESSED!

Why Teach?

“ Now each of you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in all of the Church, GOD has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, and third teachers." I Corinthians 12:27-28

Are Teachers Important?

“(they) are worthy of a Double Honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”
I Timothy 5:17

Remember gentlemen, as coaches (teachers) you are important, and you are blessed!