Two years ago, I decided I was finished being in charge of the Henryville basketball program. For 13 years, I had either been an assistant or the head coach, the final 7 years as head coach. It was time for a change for both the program and myself. I felt like I had accomplished all I could at HHS. The numerous hours of practice, watching junior high games, scouting, dealing with discipline issues, dealing with parents, teachers and administrators had worn me out psychologically. There were so many positives, mostly getting to be around the Henryville young men, but there are many, many negatives that go into being a head coach in Indiana.
There was nothing more worse than at any other time, but I had reached my limit of wanting to be in charge. The unnecessary issues had reached their limit with me. Again, nothing that is not part of any program was going on, I was just finished. I was not bailing on anyone, quitting, or angry. I wanted to spend more time with my family and be closer to home.
I sat out for one season.
I am a basketball coach and after being offered many assistant jobs, I decided that I wanted to get back into helping again. I chose Silver Creek H.S. for three main reasons.
1. The proximity of the school to where I live. The school is right next to my home. Any practices, games, away games, really anything that I might attend, it was not much of a drive home. Being close to the program that I would help with was important to me.
2. My kids go to the SC schools. It allows me to get to know the staff of the schools better, it allows me to coach my own children or spend time with them even though I may still be coaching, or assisting, a high school team. Why would I not want to be involved with my own children?
3. Finally, and most importantly, the coach at Silver Creek, Brandon Hoffman, is a great young coach. His faith in God, love of family, love of the program, and basketball knowledge were extremely similar to mine in how I did things. It was not that other programs were not aligned with my feelings, but with the first two reasons in play, it made sense to choose Silver Creek if a job opened.
A job did open and I spoke with Coach Hoffman about helping and the rest is history. It has allowed me to enjoy coaching young men again, but also has allowed my son to be heavily involved with what we do. It has allowed me to see my daughter more as she does her activities and even coach her.
Unplanned positives have occurred since I started coaching at SC. The biggest and best is that the community has been so open and warm to me and my family. My opinion matters not just to Coach Hoffman, but others in the community. I am treated as a wanted piece of the community. I have been received so much more positively than I anticipated and for that my family and I appreciative.
Moving forward, I do not know what the future holds. I hope to help Coach Hoffman continue to build the successful program he is building, spend more time with my children, and be as happy as I have been in awhile and live my life for Christ. All the while being loyal to people who have been good to me, love those who do not and keep my tongue in check because it is not about me.
