Writing Hiatus...?

With what is going on in my professional life, I wonder if maybe I should stop writing weekly for the News and Tribune.  I will continue to write in my blog either way, so it isn't like I will stop with my ideas and I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts here.  I know some have enjoyed reading my thoughts and some, maybe not so much.  But I hope I was able to get across some ideas of mine to a larger audience.

I was asked to start submitting an article before the March 2, 2012 tornado that took out Henryville High School while I was inside, but it seemed to coincide with when I started this endeavor.  I hope most people understand how cathartic that was for me in being able to share my feelings during that difficult time and that we are so thankful to those who reached out.

Sports are important.  They teach us so much about how to deal with life, or at least they should.  Winning is important.  That is why they keep score, but I hope that I have gotten across my belief that there are more important things than winning.  There is teaching young men and women to be good, tough human beings.  As a leader, you must understand the influence you have.  All leaders will make mistakes and turn people away, but we need to understand that and try to be better.  It is amazing how many athletes were involved in the heroism of the tornado that went through our area, and how some of the injured have stated that it was the lessons learned in athletics that got them through their toughest time.

I hope I have gotten across many good things going on in different schools in the Clark and Floyd county areas.  If I didn't cover your school, it was because I hadn't gotten around to it, and maybe in the future, I can get to those schools I missed.

I hope that you understand that my faith in God and his Son, Jesus Christ, is what helps guide my life, every day.  I have struggled, as we all do, in living for Him, but it is the single most important relationship in my life.  That relationship has improved my relationship in my marriage, with my children, and hopefully with other people.  I would be remiss as a Christian if I didn't tell you to follow Jesus, but don't do it because I tell you to, research it.  I can tell you that by taking classes at Louisville Bible College, I am understanding how much I did not know until now.  But Google apologetics and see how science, logic, reason, and history can subside any doubts you might have.

Why am I stopping in the submission of weekly articles?  I have decided that it is time to get back into coaching.  I will not be a head coach, I have no desire for that right now and maybe never will again, but I do want to get back to being with a team on a daily basis.  I have accepted an offer to run the Silver Creek intramurals and helping head coach Brandon Hoffman in any capacity. I am a basketball coach, I figured that out this winter and I want to be back at it.  I live in Sellersburg, my kids go to Silver Creek schools, and I believe that Brandon Hoffman is as good of a young coach that there is, but more importantly, he is a good father, husband, and person.  He is worried about getting better and winning, but he cares about his players and wants them to be good people (I know many coaches want this also) which are all things that I support and want to help with.

I feel that if I continue to submit weekly articles that there will be perceived ulterior motives or questions about what I am writing and I don't want to put that added pressure on the News and Tribune or Coach Hoffman.  However, if you think I will completely shutup, you don't know me very well.  I will continue to post things on my blog and who knows, maybe I will submit an article from time to time if they will have it.

Thanks to Jon Reiter for saying something to former Sports Editor Matt Koesters about having me share my thoughts weekly in the paper.  Thanks to Greg Mengelt and Kevin Harris for allowing me to continue and for editing my writings when it wasn't apparent what I was trying to get across.

Finally, thanks to everyone who read my articles, both those for and against what I said.  So many people have been complimentary about my rambling ignorance, and for that I am thankful. Hopefully, I made you reflect and think and justified why you do what you do or think what you think.  That's all I was trying to do.

Oklahoma

It is amazing how what someone else goes through can bring back so many feelings.  The tornado that hit in Oklahoma did just that.  But not only that.  The images of children being pulled out of their school hit home even more that what was done that day here in Henryville, was the right decision made.  Send the students home, even if the sirens were going off in town.

Please, if you want to go and help, go.  They will find something for you to do.  If you want to donate money, the Red Cross is a great organization, but money or gift cards to specific people or to local churches will get help directly and quicker to people in need.  Do NOT send clothes at this time, but find a church or other organization and call ahead for what they may need.

Finally, pray.  I don't know, or really care, if you are a religious person or not, but it can't hurt to continually pray for these people...all of them.  Survivors, families, and first responders will be dealing with as much psychological stuff as well as physical problems.

Lord help us all as we deal/help with all of these things that keep occurring.

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Coaches are Guides, Motivators, Helpers, Parent Figures, But...

I have watched, recently, some young men working to improve themselves as basketball players.  And I have come to the conclusion that so much of what is done on the basketball court or baseball field or track field or softball field is done from the motivation of the coach, but even more so from inside the player.

Self-motivation is the only motivation that lasts.  It does help that these young men have been able to see improvement due to their hard work which helps self motivation.  But what is done or "given" in the sports world is due to each player's efforts.  However, working hard does NOT guarantee success or playing time, but it does guarantee you the opportunity that you would not have if you chose not to work hard.

Finally, being in the weight room, or on the court does not mean you working hard.  You must sweat, you must work, you must put effort into the time that you are putting in.  If you aren't, you might as well just stay home.

How do you instill that in your children?  I think some of it is genetic, but not allowing for excuses as a parent can help.  I think if a child complains about playing time as a parent, we should ask how much time and effort that child has put into the sport away from the organized practice time.  If they have put the time in, have they put in the absolute top effort?  If they have put in the time and the effort, then it might be time for an honest conversation about just not being better than others.  Unfortuantely, even for others that maybe don't put in the time or the effort.  It is all part of life, and as adults we see it often in the real world.

Dr. William Lane Craig

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