February 18, 2008 - A Really Good Year?

Well another high school season has drawn to a close for me and as usual I stop to take a look at if it was successful or not. Our record was respectable as we finished the regular season 11-11. We then lost our lone tournament game to a team that we had beaten twice during the season.

As I evaluate based upon wins and losses I come to the conclusion that we did have a good year. There was not much expected of us due to our lack of size and experience but we played very hard and truly didn’t lose many games that we should have won. Likewise we won a few that people didn’t expect.

Yet I feel that just judging success based upon that can be very misleading. From a basketball standpoint I think we improved greatly throughout the year. I was very proud of my guys. I can’t say we reached our maximum potential but we worked hard. I can look at things I could have done better as a coach and I am sure each player could find areas he could have worked on more.

But again this falls short on determining the true success of this campaign. I was most proud of our guys’ attitudes during games. I often heard other coaches and fans acknowledge this. I heard testimony of referees that enjoy calling games in our house. I feel we were very successful in honoring the Lord with our play.

That is what I most look for in the season. It is what I look for in my own kids.

Proverbs 23 says it very clearly:
15 My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.

All in all it was a good year, but I’ll quote another coach on when the final grades will be in.

After a tremendous season a reporter made this remark: “Coach Stagg, it was a great year, a really great year!”

The coach replied: “I won’t know for another twenty years or so whether you’re correct.” …Coach Alonzo Stagg – former football coach at the University of Chicago