Losing

happened to me D,

i coached from 93-96 as an assitant...we were in the finals all but one year during that time, and won it all in '95....neither i, nor my HC could come back in '97 (new baby and new job took priority)...the team that year went 0-7...everyone hated the coach, i guess there was all kinds of problems...i didnt see them play....

i came back in '98, this time as a HC, cuz he couldnt come back....luckily, the coach had drafted well, and the ALL came back, which said alot right there about the type of kids they were....we drafted well, cuz we had the top pick...the only downside was i had never been a HC, nor ran an offense, except for the line...and my assistant was even greener than me....
so, it took us a while to get us all on the same page...and we lost our first game, and it was an oh, here we go again, attitude...but, a funny thing happened...the kids worked even harder, and i got my head out of ....
and when they won that 2nd game, you could see that 900lb gorilla get off their shoulders, and they went on a roll that was unbelievable, and won the title...and, to a kid, they were a totally wonderfully behaved (for 11-12)yr olds, and talented, and hardest working bunch that id SEEN...as happy as i was to win, i was twice as happy for those kids, for all they had been thru, to come out on top like they did was a tremendous example of fortitude and desire....thats a group that ill NEVER forget......

this year, we only had a couple kids come back from that team...didnt get the best in the draft...and lost every game..0-8...from where they were the first game and how they finished was night and day, but i couldnt get them over the hump...and i DONT blame them so much, they eventually learned about hard work, and playing defense...i blame me, and have been on these boards trying to learn all i can on how NOT to repeat that mistake.....will history repeat itself? i sure hope so!!!!!