October

As October emerges from out of the shadow of the hot summer months, there is a different feeling in the air.  The weather begins to have cooler days (if being in the 80s and 90s is considered cooler), the frantic panic of the hot summer drought is replaced by rainy days after rainy days.  Some years the rains even bring damaging floods to the area.   October means that high school football is in district play and the NFL season is in full swing.  For me personally, October is a pleasant reminder of the day I married my wife nine years ago.

October also marks the official start of basketball.  It begins the four and half month long journey that we know as a basketball season.   It is the time that I am in my element.   The long hours of practices, followed by the late nights of games and marathons  of weekend basketball tournaments are all part of what I love about the journey of the season.  

October is the time where I begin teaching the girls on my team what it means to not only play basketball, but how to become winners both on and off the court.  It is the time that a new life is born (the season) and a family (the team) is formed.  It is the beginning of an up and down journey that promises to have its share of both thrills and heartaches.  It will be a journey that will either bring a team together or split it apart.  October marks the start of something new, where old successes and old failures are put in the past and new goals are sought.    In October, we start the dream of a championship season.  In October, we hope and pray that the dream does not die before its time.  

October is many things to many people.  But for me, October is the beginning.