As of two days ago, I got hired as the JV volleyball coach at Crossroads Charter Academy in Big Rapids. The previous coach is a college student who has a Ferris class that conflicts with too many of the games; she had the option to co-coach or step down. She stepped down and so they gave me a call. Although this position came on rather quickly (try-outs started today), I am so very glad to be doing SOMETHING with my time! We are all moved in to our house, well the downstairs looks lived in, and have even painted our bedroom, put in a new bathroom faucet, etc. There's not much left for me to do except sit around and stare at my curtainless windows and wonder, "Hmmm. What color curtains should I get? Should they have a pattern? Which is cheaper, buying them or making them myself?" you know--big questions in life... Riiiiiiiight. Now I have a little bit more purpose when I get out of bed each day. :)
Yesterday was full of phone calls to the athletic director and varsity coach ironing out practice times/details for the remainder of the week. Oh yes, and trying to figure out if I actually got a para pro job in the elementary building so they could post the coaching job internally and make everyone's life easier. I've called several times and left a message about that, but still no news. It'd be helpful to know if I'm going to be teaching in less than a month or if I need to start looking for a job elsewhere before all the Ferris students come back. As far as practice today, the head coach had try-out practice all planned out for so all I had to do was show up, run drills, and informally evaluate the girls' skills. Kinda nice when I found out only two days ago that I was even coaching a team! I could barely sleep last night because my mind was buzzing with ideas for drills, plays, and team building exercises to implement in the upcoming season.
When I got to the gym this morning, the smell of the newly varnished floor, the smell of new volleyball leather, and the intense humidity brought back so many memories of high school sports in the fall! I loved it! I got there at 8am and the girls filtered in and all arrived by 8:30 when try-outs started. We did basic skills training all morning when around 9:30 we got an unexpected and slightly scary surprise. The girls were lined up on the sideline to practice shuffling under the net when one of the juniors fell backwards with a loud thud. I watched this happen and much to my horror she started seizing! The girls around her backed up and said, "Uhhh, coach!" The varsity coach and I immediately ran over to her as her eyes flickered open and she sat up looking very confused. We sent the rest of the team for a drink break while we tended to the fallen player. She had started feeling nauseous then blacked out and didn't remember what happened. She said that it had never happened to her before. I asked if she ate breakfast, which she had. The gym wasn't overly hot. She played basketball and attended open gyms all summer so it wasn't the stress of the drill. Scary. We took her to the sidelines and sat her down while the varsity coach called her mom. She was really scared and so disappointed because she told me she had been so excited for the first day of volleyball. I tried to comfort her the best I could but then we had to get back to the rest of the team. I talked with her mom briefly when she got there and explained what happened. Mom took her to the ER no questions asked. Not what I had quite planned on seeing the first day, but things happen. And I really hope she is okay.
Overall practice went well, but there are quite a few girls trying out. So many so that we---I----will probably have to make a few cuts. **Wince.** While I've never actually had to go through this process as a coach, I've been through it as a player and it's nerve wracking no matter what. I guess I'm going to compare it to parent teacher conferences. Those I have done. You've got to talk to all the parents (just like I have to talk to all the players) by starting with strengths/positives and gently, delicately introduce the negatives/weaknesses. I guess I just don't want to be the one to make a 14 year old girl's high school days miserable then carry around bitterness towards all athletics her whole life because she got cut in 9th grade. Now that I'm on the coaching end of things, it seems so harsh to cut a girl because she hasn't had the proper training. I've got a lot of freshman coming out for the JV team (because there is no freshman team) and most of them haven't been taught the right form and technique of how to pass, set, hit, and serve. Cuts are tomorrow... How do I decide who to keep and who to let go after two days of try-outs? Some have horrible form/skills and flail arms wildly no matter what the task. Others laugh when I give feedback and correct form. Right now it's hard to know who just hasn't had the time to develop their skills and who just doesn't really care. I have a feeling there's a little bit of both right now.
I'm excited to be in a leadership role. I'm excited to be around volleyball and coach it and teach it and be passionate about it. I'm excited to get to know a whole new group of young ladies and be a positive influence. I'm excited to lead a team of young athletes through a fun and challenging season. I'm excited to gain coaching experience and grow and be challenged.
