Tennis, Anyone?

That's right. I'm doing my good deed for the day. This may be a good deed for at least a month or two to be honest with you. I'm serving as the school's tennis coach. I knew the school was in a bind since the tennis coach from last year moved out of state, and the only other people with tennis background are the two varsity basketball coaches. They're both firmly involved in their respective playoff runs, and one of them is leaving the school at the end of the season to take the head women's job at a small Christian college. I made sure the AD knew I had absolutely no background in tennis, and inexplicably, he wanted me for the position anyway.

This will definitely be a new and interesting experience for me. I've only minimally played the sport outside of gym class, so there will likely be some people on the team with more tennis knowledge than me. Yeah, it is a bit intimidating, but at the same time, I think I can still teach them a thing or two. I'm working on obtaining actual tennis drills and practices, but I do know enough about the game to know quickness and agility are very important. We did some drills today to work on those skills, and I definitely see the need to continue and augment this aspect of the training. Matches don't begin until March 1, so I've still got some time to develop into a tennis guru.

We had 12 players show up yesterday and an extra three showed up today. There may still be a few out there in the woodwork who want to come out. I know for some of the guys on the team, this is their only sport, so I do feel good that they are able to compete this year. Several of the players I have in class, and that adds an extra aspect to the student/teacher relationship that I really enjoy.

I'll keep you posted.......

Playoff Party in Plano

Well, we came, we saw, we had dinner at Taco Cabana. Oh, yeah, and we played a game against Plano Prestonwood Academy.

The day started with a bad omen. Originally everybody on the team and our groupies (about 15 family members made the trip with us) were going to meet an IHOP close to the school for breakfast before we left on the bus. However, my assistant coach astutely pointed out that there were just too many intangibles that could go wrong with such a plan. So, the two of us decided that we could try and get a bite to eat once we were on the bus and had cleared the cozy confines of Houston traffic. I even went ahead and reserved seating at an IHOP on I-45 up in Spring. We made good time getting up there, but once we were there, they only allotted one server for all 33 of us! Not good. We wanted to leave by 10:30 so we could get up to Plano in time for something light to eat for lunch and plenty of time to warm up. Well, the only reason we left at 11:00 was because the father of one of the boys on the team was gracious enough to put the entire tab on his credit card. If each of us had to check out individually, we may still be at that IHOP. We got up to the school in Plano at about 3:00. The second bad omen of the day took place once we were in the school, and my starting right fullback told me he had left his cleats at home. His first suggestion was that he could go buy another pair. I had no idea where the shoe fairy was at that time of day, but I was pretty sure the fairy was nowhere close to us. We had just driven up on a charter bus. I have no idea how Matthew thought he was going to procure transportation to a store. Fortunately one of the seniors on the team who's been injured for the last several weeks loaned Matt his shoes. Serves him right though since during the game I'd look over at Matt and see him walking quite gingerly in shoes that were at least a full size too small for him.

The campus itself was just immense. I think it would be similar to a campus here in Houston if Lakewood Church had a school. Maybe if I mention it to ol' Joel Osteen, it'll make him jealous and he'll break ground. The school had large full color action cut-outs of the boys and girls basketball players on the wall mats in the gym. They played soccer and football on a full field with turf just slightly softer than astroturf. I knew we'd be faced with a swanky complex, and this was only the second time of the season we had played on a field like this.

The team we played was the number one seed from its district. I wasn't quite sure what to make of that since, yes, they were undefeated, but they only had a five team district, and the last place team hadn't won any district games. Our district has nine teams, and three of the teams from last year's State Final Four in boys' soccer were from our district, including the state champion. Well, Plano was good, not spectacular, but good. It took us awhile to get into the flow of the game and adjust to the different field surface. Of course, I'm sure there were some playoff jitters for each of the boys. We lost, convincingly, but I think each member of the team now knows what it takes to compete with the best teams in the state. I wouldn't be surprised if Plano makes it into the Final Four. We have a great group of boys returning next year, and I hope the camaraderie that was established this year and the respectful attitudes continue so we can make another appearance in the playoffs. Of course, it would be nice if we could at least finish fourth so we wouldn't be faced with the task of playing the number one team from another district!

Before the game, I talked to the team about the great unity they had shown during the year. Of the eight seniors we had last year, four played college soccer. Of the other eight that we hadn't planned on losing from last year's squad, three earned some form of All District recognition. Obviously there were several holes that needed to be filled. However, this is the team that was able to make it into the playoffs. I know two of our seniors from this year's team would like to continue their competitive careers, but, honestly, I think last year's team had better individual skill players. The difference was that this year's team was able to come together and put the desires and needs of the team above their own. I'm proud of what this team was able to accomplish and hope that this experience motivates them to put in the work needed to not only make it back to the playoffs but make it back as a higher seed.

Soocer "Hoosiers"

Well, we made it! To playoffs that is. For the first time in nine years, our program will make an appearance in the state playoffs. We just finished a brutal five game week (due in large part to the consistently inclement weather we've had in Houston). Four of those five games were against the best teams in the district. We played the second place team twice and the first and third place teams once. Even though we lost the first four of the five games last week, I am proud to say the most goals any team scored on us was three. I think it did wonders for the boys' confidence to see that they could play not only with the best teams in the district, but the best teams in the state. Those top three teams also advanced all the way to the state final four last season.

I remember a similar situation when I was last a high school varsity coach. When I took over the job as head of the Logan Lady Chiefs' cross-country team, they were the only team on campus that had not won a league title. Obviously that was the big goal for the first season. Sure enough, and, yes, there were bumps along the way, we won league that first year. However, especially after winning the district the following week, I started to get a bit selfish and began considering the possibilities of advancing the team to the state meet. We didn't make it out of the regionals, and it took me a while to realize what a great success the season had been. Last week, to keep the boys' spirits up, I showed them the movie Hoosiers. I'm sure for many of them it was the first time they had seen the flick. The more I think about it, the more similarities I see between this year's soccer team and that historic team from Hickory (at least the Hollywood-ized version). Our school is much, much smaller than other schools in our district and state classification. We don't have a full soccer field for practice. When we do practice, we have to share the field with the girls' team. It's just one of the concessions you have to make at a small school. On a related note, I'm utterly amazed at the success our track team has had since they have no track on which to practice!! Anyway, we face a team in the first round that's one of those big school powerhouses. We'll be playing on their field which is part of an immaculate state of the art athletic complex similar to what is seen in most public school districts in Texas. One of their boys has already signed to play soccer at Indiana (a perennial soccer power) next year. Yes, you could say we have the odds against us. However, as I mentioned before, we just finished a week against three of last year's final four teams, and the worst we were beat was 3-0. Those teams usually take care of us with five or six or seven goals in a match. I'm actually quite optimistic about our chances. I know some of the boys on our team have done some research on the team we're playing, and they may be a bit intimidated by our opponent. Honestly, I see some great similarities between this match and the 12 spies from Israel who searched out Canaan. All but Joshua and Caleb came back with negative, intimidating reports. Those two guys saw what could be done rather than what couldn't be done. I know it's a bit selfish, since the goal all along this season has been to make the playoffs, but I want the boys to realize that they've already played some of the soccer powers in the state. I want them to realize and have confidence in what they're capable of. I guess it's the competitor in me not wanting to concede.

We leave Friday morning from school at 8:30. Several of the parents on the team are going up with us on a charter bus the athletic director has arranged for us. It'll definitely be a memorable experience. All I want is for the boys to believe in themselves, each other, their coaches, and just leave it all on the field.

I'll keep you posted.......

Roommate Ministry

I've found myself in a bit of a bind financially these past two years. Begrudgingly, I rented a room out in the winter of '08. Keep in mind I have two spare bedrooms, but it was quite a step out for me to rent even just one out since I have lived by myself for the past 12 years. I tried out ol' Craigslist and found a nice guy named Glenn who helped ease me back into roommate mode. Glenn was a self-employed handyman with a girlfriend living about 15 minutes away here in Katy. Glenn took jobs all over Houston, spent quite a bit of time with his lady friend (she also helped him find jobs) so, consequently, our paths did not cross a whole awful lot. It wouldn't be uncommon for me to go several days without seeing my new roomie. Unfortunately, I was still feeling the pinch financially, so in June, I posted an ad for another roommate and met Don.

Don's been living in Katy for a couple of years now. He moved down from Dallas and was taking classes at Prairie View with hopes of becoming a secondary math teacher. Soon after Don moved in, I remember asking him about his religious affiliation. When he answered "agnostic," I thought, "Oh, boy, this could be difficult trying to reach him spiritually." Don stocks groceries third shift, so, like Glenn, our interaction has been rather limited. However, several weeks ago, Don surprised me one Saturday by out of the blue asking me if I would be going to church the next morning. When I answered yes, he asked if he could come. Of course, I said yes. Within the first couple of Sundays, Don met the minister at my church and was able to set up a weekly Bible study. From what I can tell, it's really challenged Don to open the Word and find out for himself what God's plan is for him rather than just to rely on conjecture and speculation.

Soccer Hopes

The soccer season is about halfway over. We had a German student play with us during the first semester who was living with aunt here in the Houston area. He was really a blessing to the team. The other guys on the team accepted him as one of their own, and he was very fluent in the language. Of course, the fact that he's a pretty good soccer player came in handy as well. We lost 12 players from last year's team, and Robin filled in a sorely needed position. We've made enough of a dent in the district schedule so far that we most likely will make the state playoffs. I think it's been eight or nine years since the boys soccer team here at school made the playoffs. Both the girls and boys basketball teams have been very successful year in and year out. I've told the boys that people won't take notice of them and give them the respect they want until they produce something impressive on the field. I've always believed in my ability to encourage and motivate others. I don't think the playoffs is something they can wrap their minds around since they've never been there. It's foreign to them. I need to start instilling in them a sense of purpose. Last year's team came within one game of making the playoffs. My task is helping the boys understand that this goal can be reached.

The Soloist

Two nights ago, I finally got around to watching The Soloist. I've become a bit of a Redbox fanatic, as it's helped me catch up on recent movies I've missed without, well, breaking my bank. Some movies are barely worth the $1 rental, but The Soloist impressed me greatly. It was based on a true story which made the flick even more enjoyable and interesting.

The movie centered around a relationship between a newspaper columnist, John Lopez, played by Robert Downey Jr., who befriends a homeless man, played by Jamie Foxx, who turns out to be an absolute virtuoso at the cello. The reporter does a little snooping into the man's past and finds out that he had actually studied for a while at the Julliard but mysteriously dropped out. Upon further research he finds out that the man has suffered from mental illness, most likely schizophrenia, since his time in music school. The reporter goes to extravagant means to help the man, Nathaniel Ayers, regain a respectable way of life enlisting the help of Ayers's family members and professional musicians in Los Angeles. At the end, however, Lopez realizes that Nathaniel is comfortable where he is and doesn't want any assistance from counselors, doctors, or psychologists.

I think I identified with Downey's character so much because I find myself in similar situations frequently as a teacher. I've taught in small towns and affluent suburbs, public schools and private, and I've always taken a personal interest in each of the hundreds of students I've had over the years. Sometimes I'm able to connect with and make a difference in the lives of my pupils, but the hard part is when I do all that I can and the student shows no desire to improve or change. I've always maintained that I take a much too intensive personal interest in the lives of my students. Maybe that's what's expected? Maybe it's not? I know I've always been my worst critic, and I always struggle emotionally with apathetic students who don't want to work to their potential.

Thank you for letting me vent!

Guy the Dog

About five years ago, my parents made an addition to our family. I don't know if it was empty nest syndrome that prompted it or what, but for the first time in probably ten years, they bought a dog. We had been a cat family for as long as I could remember. I remember Ebony, my sister's black cat we had in Alabama. She ran away when we moved from Alabama to Ohio, but legend has it, she found her way back to the house. In fact, through most of my childhood, we had two, if not four, cats in the house. Dogs, on the other hand, were a different subject altogether. I hadn't really had good experiences with canines. My dog Zack was shot and killed when we lived in Alabama by a man who found him sleeping under his pick up truck. Soon after, we acquired an Irish setter named Reagan (I'm not sure or not if the dog was named after the Great Communicator; after all, it was the early '80's.) Being the small lad that I was, I was always a bit spooked when Reagan would come up to me and put her paws right up on my shoulders. It seemed like some bizarre domestic reenactment of Animal Farm was in the works. From then on, I was a bit reticent around dogs. We had some come and go, a beagle, a Westhighland white terrier, and a Papillon, among others, but I never really developed a close bond with any of them. Alas, until I met Guy.

My parents bought him from a breeder in Las Vegas when they were living in Arizona. When I first saw him, I immediately had flashbacks of Reagan and the almost daily ambushes I would receive. However, Guy was a bit (but not much) more gentle than Reagan. He's a standard poodle and serves equally well as a family dog and a guard dog. I guess I should explain that since my mother did some research and discovered that poodles originated either in France or Germany, she and my dad decided to give the dog an appropriate ethnic name. So, Guy is short for "Guillaume" which is the French translation of my dad's (and my) first name. Don't ask; each of the family pets have had unique names. Not that the two cats I have now are any different. I named them "Jerry" and "Kosmo" after characters in my favorite TV show, Seinfeld.

OK, back to Guy. From the first time we met, I knew my little (OK, not so little; my dad kids that he could be mistaken for a miniature horse) buddy was special. He loved, loved, loved taking walks, even in the brutal Arizona summer heat and would follow me all over my parents' house. I even enjoyed playing fetch/catch with him in the backyard of their house. That's gotta be love if I'm willing to toss and wrestle for a slimy tennis ball or raquetball. One habit that I've tried to shake him of is the ol' humping the leg routine. I mean, I understand a guy (no pun intended) has urges, but after awhile, it got pretty old and increasingly awkward. Guy even received special permission to sleep in "my room" during my visits. Usually he would sleep in his cage, or if he was really good, my parents would let him sleep in their room.

When my parents moved to Georgia about three years ago, Guy's affection grew even stronger. Whenever I would be in "my room", he would sit in the hall right outside the room. He still enjoyed his walks and even went into a bit of a manic mode whenever the word "walk" was mentioned, and he also provided an impartial sounding board for whatever was on my mind during our excursions. Last year I was brave enough to bring my two cats to visit my parents. Jerry and Kosmo survived the 12 hour car ride just fine, but I don't think they were ready for such an excitable new playmate. Guy kept an almost constant vigil outside my bedroom door for the boys. Of course, they wouldn't come out, and Guy obediently obeyed his instructions not to enter the room. At night, when Guy would go to sleep in my parents' room, they would roam around a bit, but it was back to the bedroom once Guy was free.

This past week was another trip over to Georgia to see my folks and Guy. As always, he was all kinds of excited to see me, and, trust me, I did have to physically prepare myself for the ambush from a big ol' standard poodle after a 12 hour car ride when I entered my parents' house. My relationship with Guy has restored my belief in the brutally unconditional companionship a good dog can bring. He's one of the added perks I get from visiting my parents, and he definitely makes their house, whether it's in Arizona or Georgia, feel more like a home.