Back in the Game

Wednesday, June 15/16

Now before anyone gets all excited on my behalf thinking today's blog title means more than it really does take a breathe........

I've been asked to help out with my son's soccer team as it seems that the head coach is going to be out of service for a few weeks due to a medical procedure and work project and the assistant coach will be hit or miss for the next few weeks as well due to a work project of his own.

I got the request last week and talked it over with my son as I wanted to make sure he was ok with it and it turns out he was getting ready to ask me if I'd offer to help as while he likes his coaches he doesn't think they have enough experience to help this squad get the most out of their skill set.

Now first off, that comment alone almost made me fall out of my chair as I've never heard my son express such thoughts when it comes to my coaching. Oh he's acknowledged me as a good coach but has also told me our two championship seasons were with teams stocked with pretty good players. Turns out that was his way of trying to keep my ego in check lol

Yesterday was my first practise with the lads and I have to say the smiles I got from the seven players on the team who've played for me before when the asst. coach announced I was going to be helping out made me feel pretty good inside. My own son came over during one of the drills and asked me what he was doing wrong, which isn't something I'm used too from him as my approach as a head coach was always to let my assistants deal with my kid and I dealt with theirs....just so much easier and avoids all that angst in dealing with a teenager who thinks they know everything.

When practise ended one of the boys asked if I was going to be there from now on and I said I was just covering for the coaches when one couldn't make it. He smiled at me, fist bumped me, and has he walked away said to one of his teammates "In just one practise that was the most coaching we've gotten all season"

Tomorrow is my first game on the bench and I'm a little nervous, almost like it was my first game as a coach. I like that I'm nervous as it tells me I'm not taking this opportunity for granted. Given my son's age it might be one of my last chances to coach him and I really want to savour these moments for all they are worth.

My goal tomorrow is to just find out what the primary assistant needs from me and support him the best I can. It's a much better situation than last season when I had to step in and salvage a season from a head coach who was technically very good but had horrible people skills and was unable to communicate any messages to teenagers or build any kind of cohesion on his own.

My name is Marcus and I'm back in the game coaching....for now