6/9/09

Isn't that Interesting - Part 2

So my life has continued to be far from a reality show with the usual carpools, work schedules, summer schools, house cleanings, meetings, practices, food preparations etc etc etc. - well until last night where we had another big coach/dad - vs. coaches kids - blow out.

This one was different though. Quite different in so many ways. I saw the boys were upset when they came in but no dad raging behind them insight so I pulled them out to the garage and asked what happened at practice. They went into the long details of feeling like their dad was picking on them more than other players etc etc etc.

Twin A was the most offended even though it "sounded" as if Twin B got the bulk of beef from coach dad. Twin B was actually pretty quiet but Twin A was fired up.

Twin A: see I was shooting and I was dribbling and I shot a 3 and I said "WET"...

Mom: You said "WET", ummm during practice? (WET means "splash" basically - three pointer in your eye/some ghetto mess that I can't stand)

Twin A: I always say that

Mom: during practice??? That's kind of rude don't you think?

Twin A: Mom it's just something I say

Mom: hhmmm, okay and?

Twin A: Then dad is saying, pass the ball to someone else, stop dribbling so much, NEXT GET OFF THE COURT. So then I steal the ball from a player and dad says foul, but I didn't foul, I stole the ball and if that same player would have stolen it from me he would have been like "good play Jim-boy" but to me he's like "foul" and I can never do anything right.

Twin B: Yeah, we can never do anything right me and "Twin A" are the scapegoats.

Mom: so have you talked to him about this outside of practice.

Twin A: I'm mad, I"m not talking about it anymore.

So then coach/dad comes outside to the garage and listens for a while before he gets angry and begins to spout back a little and I see him begin to "grow" and the kids begin to "shrink". Finally I butt in a bit but not in time. Twin A says "then I quit" I'm not playing basketball anymore. Coach/dad says that may have worked a few months ago son when I wasn't were I am now and my angry used to take over but now I know you are just angry and you'll regret saying I quit this weekend while your teammates are playing and you are sitting on the bench watching so I'm not letting you quit. Besides, I know you are not a quitter.

He went on to tell them how much he loves them and how hard it is to be a coach's kid but also that they both received a technical in a previous tournament and if they couldn't take some "rousing" in practice from him, the person who loved them, they couldn't take it from someone who hated them and wanted to see them lose. I thought to myself "wow - he is changing". Then he went on to relate some things to the bible about them being better people and even apologized to them for being a bad sportsman as a basketball player in years past and trying to correct that as a coach now. It went on a bit longer and I saw all three of them soften a bit as the conversation continued.

I was so happy when I saw them all get up and hug and have dinner with no further issues. Well at least for the night

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