Monday, November 12, 2007

As you all know, I have started coaching the freshman basketball team at MountainView. The last two years I was coaching middle school COBO for Mountain View. On the Sunday before my first practice, Coach Reid asked me to come to COBO tryouts and pick the 6th grade team because the 6th grade coach was out of town and couldn't do it. So I went in on Sunday afternoon and ran tryouts and I could clearly tell which 12 guys should be on the team. I went over it with the 8th grade coach and he agreed that it was right. I went and told Reid that I had it down to 12 and I asked him if he wanted me to read off the list to the kids or if he wanted to do it. He told me that I could do it, but he told me to make 100% sure that I had my list perfect so I didn't read off any wrong and give someone the impression that they made it when they didn't. So I checked my list like ten times to make sure it was right and then went up in front of the kids to read off the names. Right before I did, Reid came up and said that he wanted to point out one kid that made the team (side story: I have been working with this kid Alex Burton during the summer and fall and he got cut from last years team and wanted to make it this year. He improved a ton and is one of the top 5 or 6 guys on the team this year.). He talked about how Alex got cut last year and wasn't even close to making it and how he put in a lot of work and got way better. He then announces the name Alex Burton and points to this kid Dominic. Now, this wouldn't have been a problem if Dominic made the team, but he was the complete opposite. He made the team last year and we cut him this year. Coach Reid realized it was the wrong kid and pointed to Alex, but Dominic still thought he made the team. He had me come up and read off the names of the kids who made it and Dominic started balling. He ran over to his mom and she chewed out Coach Reid. It was hilarious! In a "wow I feel bad for this kid, but Reid did exactly what he told me not to do" kind of way. That is my first of many basketball stories yet to come.