Just Like That, It's Over

It felt so strange coming to school this morning knowing I would not be practicing my basketball team. There would be no film session. There would be no basketball athletics. The gym will no longer echo with the sound of bouncing basketball as the balls are locked up and will stay that way for a while.

Yes, the season is over. It was expected. We played a great team in the second round of the playoffs, and we had to be great to win that game. We were not great. We did fight hard, but we were going to have to be near perfect to win that game. And we were not.

You put so much in to a season for so long and then in one day it is over. And there is an emptiness that resides insid. I've had my team every day since school started (with the exception of a couple who played volleyball) and now they are dispersing to spring sports (or seniors dropping out of athletics). Its a hollow, empty feeling.

The only way I can get through it with a semi-smile is knowing I can go home early now and spend more time with my wife and son. Even this Saturday, I was able to go see my 10 year old nephew play basketball. He already dribbles equally well with both hands. I wonder if I should get him to come teach my returning varsity players how to use their left hand. This morning before I left the house, I told my son, Landry, that I didn't have any basketball today and would be home early. He got a big smile on his face and said, "you not have anything?"

I guess there really are other things in life besides our high school basketball team. Before yesterday, I couldn't even tell you where my favorite college team,Duke, was in the ACC. I honestly thought they were like third or something, much less ranked 6th in the Nation. And I had no idea that Carolina had fallen so bad. 3-10 in the ACC and 14-13 overall. Are you serious? I have been so singularly focused that I had no idea what was going on. But, now, I can relax and unwind. I can catch up on stuff at home and focus more on what I teach.

I realized by the end of last week that I was very stressed. It was getting to my body and to my emotions. But I wanted that stressed feeling to last at least another week. I could have madee it. But it is best for my body now to just unwind some. Other than teaching school and focusing on getting the kids ready for the TAKS in a week, I am going to spend my other hours just relaxing, unwinding, and enjoying life and enjoying my family.

But I would have liked to have waited a few more weeks to do that.

I'll post another day my recap and thoughts about this season. But right now, I just want to unwind.