Coaches...

All of the kids have come up against brick walls in their individual sports. It hasn't been easy proving themselves down here in Georgia. After all, they are Yankees. However, at least two of the kids have followed the things we have always taught them about succeeding in life and sports and those principles have paid off for them. What have we taught them? We've taught them that first of all you show up on time for every single game and team activity. That you show your coaches and team mates respect. We've taught them to support their team mates even if they're playing your position and you're warming the bench. We have told them that at every practice and every single game you give 110%. That you push yourself to do your best without exception. We have taught them that they don't let their team down. Whether that team is your family or your sports team. We taught them to be a good sport and tell the other team good game whether they won or lost. At the end of every game and practice we would ask them if they thanked their coaches. And the most important thing we taught them is that hard work pays off. In the past my kids have been blessed to have great coaches that not only coached with these same principles but seemed to live them in their everyday lives. Unfortunately, one of my kids is learning a different set of principles this year. He's learning that it doesn't matter when or even if you show up for practice. It only matters who you know. He's learning that hard work doesn't pay off that knowing the right people pays off. It's sad to watch a group of adults take everything you have taught your child and destroy it. To take the sport that he loves the most and turn it into pure torture. To take his future dreams and crush them. They held a true athlete in the palm of their hands and let him fall to the ground. But what is worse? Watching them take his confidence and self esteem and step on it leaving him feeling worthless. So, coaches and even teachers when we lend our children to you we have high expectations for you. We have spent our lives doing the best job we can to raise good, contributing members of society. Be a role model for these kids. If not don't do the job.

I always tried to remember to thank the coaches that worked with our kids but in case i missed you. Thank you for giving up your evenings and weekends to spend with my kids. Thank you for standing in the pouring rain and freezing cold so the game or practice could go on. Thank you for guiding through their individual sports with encouragement and helpful critiquing. Thank you for always rewarding hard work and dedication because when you did it encouraged more hard work and dedication. It earned you respect. Thank you for biting your tongue when you wanted to scream at them. Most importantly, thank you for being a role model. It takes a strong person to be a role model to today's kids. Lets face it, it isn't always the most fun way to live life. There's a lot of pressure that goes with having those kids look at you as their role models. It required you to not always say the first thing that came to mind. It meant you congratulated the other team even when you felt as though they played unfairly because you knew the kids were watching and learning not just from the game but from your actions. You're pride and commitment made wearing those royal blue and white uniforms mean something. They were proud to wear them and be seen in their uniforms. Their teams may not always have won and some seasons they might even have lost every game. But a losing season with a coach that is a winner in life is a win regardless of the score of the game.
I am dedicating this post to all the coaches from Etown. We miss you all and appreciate the life lessons you taught all four of our kids. I will try to name them all but I will probably miss some of them.
Rockie Wilkinson
Eric Heisey
Brian Schoenenberger
Dan Shutt
Mike Laverty
Jeff Quinn
Chas Alessi
Ronnie Quinto
Amy Longenecker
Scott Fitzgerald
Coach Troy(I forget his last name)
Chris Rich
Heather Prichard
Debbie Dice
And I'm sure there were many more coaches and volunteers and moms and dads that helped out. Thank you to all of you. You all became like family to us and we miss that feeling the most.