What I have learned over the past 12 years is it comes with the territory. With over 80 hours toward my degree to become a public educator and a coach, I really do not have the desire to ever teach or coach in the public school system. On the other hand, some day I would like to finish my degree for my own reasons. My first comment, is related to being a coach in small schools in South Texas.

Being a sports editor for two separate newspapers in my career, I have been around some great coaches, some so-so coaches as well as some terrible coaches. Wait, I know what you are thinking. Who am I to judge? It is just human nature to set judgement as both a spectator as well as from my sports editor view. Fortunately yet unfortunately, I usually never give my public view on area coaches.

Over the past few months, there has been a few changes at a few of the brush country schools. Some have been for the good while others have been questionable at best. If I can offer my two cents to anyone who cares, it would be don’t fix something that is not broke. My other piece of advice would be, you could always get someone worse. Sometimes you don’t realize what you had, until you no longer have it.

It is human nature as a parent to always think your child/athlete is the best one in the world. I had the honor or lack of, because my father was on the school board and best friends with my elementary principal all the way up to my head boys basketball coach. Was it fun?

I only wish, heck my elementary PE coach requested to be in the office the first time my principal gave me my first “lick”. Yes, Coach Boon showed up for the event, as Mr. Wells gave me two licks for believe it or not, “talking too much” in Mrs. Hardy’s second grade classroom. Needless to say, that was not the last time I got the wooden weapon on my behind in elementary.

Once I was in Jr. High, I was slightly harassed a tad bit by one of my Science teachers who has now passed on. He would state to me, I don’t care if your father is on the school board and I wouldn’t care if he is the president of the U.S., you will abide by my rules.

Once I was in high school, needless to say my job in basketball was to sub in for Frankie Argenal once he picked up his second foul in the first half. Even though my parents would have loved for me to be a “star”, they knew God had only blessed me as much as he did. My job was to rebound and NOT DRIBBLE according to Coach Marcum.

My point in all of this, is just a reminder to parents to be careful for what you wish for. Sometimes when you feel a coach is not up to your standards, it might be best to take a step back and realize it is about a team, not an individual player or group of players.

As far as a few of the coaches who have left, I wish them well and my advice is to just keep on keeping on and best of luck in your new districts.

I guess a few of these issues would be easier to grasp if the success was not on a resume, but why mess with success? I understand when you set goals, it is great to shoot for the moon, but sometimes you may miss. if you do miss, you’re still among the stars.

It is hard to build tradition, without consistency and support from a community as a whole.

As another school year has gone by, I want to thank all coaches in the five schools I cover. I appreciate all of your hard work and dedication.