Year #2 - The Secret of Longevity - PART V - Counting.

Every March for as long as I can remember I remind myself to count. When the high school basketball season ends, whether we finished with a win or with a loss, I count. I count in the short term and then I count in the long term. I start the count by going on a walk and by the end it, I try to figure out what number my count is on.

What am I counting?

I am counting my blessings.

Coaching is an interesting field. Dealing with so many things internally and externally throughout the year, pouring so much into so many and hoping your team can achieve greatness can take a toll on a coach you allow it to.

When I was in my first years as a head varsity coach, I admittedly spent too much of the immediate offseason focused on the negative: "Why did we blow that game", "Why didn't we schedule harder", "Why is this player or that parent not understanding the team goals", etc... instead of what a privilege it was to be a head varsity coach, how great was the opportunity to positively shape lives, and how wonderful it was to continue to build a program.

As I got older and, hopefully, a little wiser, my immediate off-season thoughts changed. I started to go beyond the actual results of the last game, win or lose, and look deeper into the lessons that were being taught.

Many of my "kids" that I coached in the first 20-25 years of my career are now parents and leaders in their community. I am fortunate enough that so many of them still keep in touch. They remind me ever-so-often about their time playing for our program and what it did for them.

In the heat of the moments of each game, I, like you, are pushing the players to be their best. I am trying to bring out of them things that maybe they didn't know they had inside of them. My hope is to give them their opportunity for a wonderful moment and a lifetime of memories. However, if things didn't work out, they learn something valuable that will allow them to overcome an obstacle later on in life that looks similar to a game moment.

When the cheering stops, the whistle no longer sounds and there are no more practice plans to develop, there can be a moment of sadness, or maybe relief or maybe of "What do I do now"?

I, instead, have learned to count.

You should try it.

My thirty-first year of high school coaching just ended with a trip to the Final Four. That was one of the many great blessings that took place from just this season alone. I got to coach fourteen wonderful young women, we won our Christmas Tournament, our conference and conference tournament, our sectional, and played against some of the top teams in our state.

I got to coach Adelaide Jernigan for four years who broke the school record for points (boys or girls), won, continues to win many awards, and is going to play collegiately at N.C. State. She's a friend for life, the leader of the wonderful fourteen players/people of 2024-25, and though I would have loved for her to win it all during her last season, she said it best "I wouldn't want to have done this with any other group".

Sometimes, we get caught up in the disappointment, which is natural, but my advice is to not let it consume you. Don't let one tough moment take away thirty great ones, because if you do, you'll become bitter, shortsighted and maybe even ungrateful.

So... I started my count the other day.

My 2024-25 blessing count is up to forty-three. The more time I spend on reflection, the more I remember. If and when you do the same thing, try to not focus on just the big moments. Sometimes the littlest things end up being the most important. Maybe it was a bus ride, or a small practice correction, or even just a smile after a good play.

There are only a handful of teams at all levels that get the privilege to end their season with a win on the scoreboard. However, there are so many wins that you and your team probably accomplished that may be mentally wiped away because of a tough ending.

Again, trust me, take time to count. You'll get a smile on your face, things will come into perspective, and it will make you appreciate the wonderful opportunity to coach young people.

Yours for Better Basketball Always,

Brian / Coach Robinson