10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”
Psalm 51:10-11, NLT
As Josh, Felcris, Tani, Chris and I had some dollar-menu grinds at McDonald's — a lot of side salads and McChickens with tomato — after practice on Thursday, I couldn't help thinking about the duration of friendships on our team. Tanielu and Chris have been there from the start of our 12U team nearly two years ago. We miss them during football season(s), but when they're free, we see them. Their presence at practice is a big boost for our guys.
They're the main reason Josh and Felcris joined the team a year or so ago. The four of them met at Kalakaua Middle School when Tani and Chris moved to Kalihi from Makiki. Though Josh and Felcris are newer, their daily work ethic and determination are matched by the effort of our other young players like Ryan and Javan. Their tenacity and consistency often define what our 12U and 13U teams have been about. They've stepped up and become factors in 14U, 15U, JV and varsity leagues.
I think about this sometimes, how some players stick through the ups and downs and how some players don't. We've had our share of guys, though just a very few, who opted to leave when the going got tough. One was surprised that we wouldn't tolerate him playing against us in one age division while staying with us in another, and this came shortly after he started to become very uncoachable. He went to his new team, then bounced to another not long after that.
Another guy practiced with us for two weeks, then bailed on us just before a new league began to play for another team. After we beat his new team soundly, a few weeks went by before he asked to rejoin our team. The answer, of course, was no.
When young players show a pretty extreme level of fickleness, it's always best to let them choose their own path. We've learned over the past few years that there's truth to the old maxim, "Addition by Subtraction." I've always felt that it would be best to stay the course with the guys who really want to be here rather than reach too far for those who treat relationships and friendships like a game that can be deleted and reset any time.
Life doesn't work that way. Teams need stability. The more, the better. And rather than allow guys who are fickle to yo-yo back and forth and back and forth, when they choose to depart for good, I stand by our guys and keep our eyes focused on what needs to be done on that day. It's a long, sometimes grueling, often times fun voyage we're on. It's rare to find young men who can be trustworthy, hard working and loyal, so when we do have them, what more could I ask for?
All I can really ask is that the Lord forgive me for my flaws and mistakes, and that with each new day, I get to improve. Period. Nobody but Jesus is perfect, but we can still move forward step by step, day by day, as coaches, players, parents, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters. Friends.
In the end, the reward of brotherhood and fellowship as a basketball team outweighs any of the negatives. When I see what our young guys are becoming, it makes me smile. I feel proud! And grateful. And maybe if I start each day with a clean heart, the Lord will let me see our Thunder grow into young adults who give back to their families, their communities, their friends and schools with everything they've got.
When players leave, quit, stop playing — it's part of the path, and sometimes young players grow through mistakes rather than get buried by them. Not everyone is going to play ball for us, and that's just fine. I like who we've got. A basketball family is special, and this is a special time. With a little blessing, we'll have pure hearts and relish what we have each day.
No comments:
Post a Comment