Blogging Burnout

Hi all. I have been thinking recently, wow I'm really letting everyone down by not updating my blog. And then I un-mute the TV and continue the mindless and ever-so-ridiculous reality show of the night. I admit it, I have been slacking. I think about updating, then don't because at the end of the school day, the last thing I want to do is use my mind. Hence the reality show madness.

But here I am. I finally gave in. Oh also was inspired by Abby commanding me to update. Yes ma'am.

Today my team lost 14-10. And I lost my sense of confidence at times during the whole away-game-transportation scene. The two of us coaches got activity bus licensed in October and suddenly we're expected to take 13 girls' lives into our hands (you might say into the activity bus) and drive them into the city, when the weather is crappy. Who do these adults think we are? Superwomen? What, just cuz' we got licensed in activity bus doesn't mean we know how to do it.

So I drove us there, and my co-coach drove us back. Once we finally got there (just Marblehead today; tomorrow is Boston and I don't like talking about it-because then I think about it and then get anxious and freak out) we had to get around long line of cars waiting in the carpool line (gotta love private schools....represent) and weren't sure how to go about it. The other coach is no help; she's as new to this as I am. So anyway, cutting to the chase, I had to back up a little when in the line so I could pull out because I had changed my mind and thought I would be able to go past the line of cars. Welp, I guess part of activity-bus-license-getting is then being trusted not to get into any stupid accidents. Failed that one. When I say accident, though, I mean I just bumped the bumper of the car behind me. No one was hurt, no scratches on the car or bus, but the whole facade I had been wanting to show that I had everything under control and I was the coach, the adult in the situation, Superwoman, if you will, was crushed. Smushed between the bumper of the bus and bumper of the car. Thankfully it was a non-issue and the woman was super nice and understanding. But geez.

Then we lost by 4, played terribly, and these girls who, may I remind you are like ages 11-13 or something, acted like they had just lost the championship game...of their senior COLLEGE year. I don't know about you but when I was their age I got psyched to have a cool shimmery uniform on and excited to walk up to the table to kneel down when I was subbing in, thinking I looked all cool. I was always bummed the game was over but never felt like I wanted to sob over the game. We had some tears today. I was so confused. As the saying I saw on a water bottle at the YMCA goes, "If you had fun, you won!" That is a CLASSIC GEM of a phrase. And forget it, throw that phrase out the window (but don't waste the perfectly good water bottle) once you get older and play college and high school ball because it just isn't true. But elementary school? Heck yes.

The other thing that really bothered me today was the certain girls who looked to Aubrey and I and said things like, "Can I go in?" And, "Will I get to play anymore?" STOP ASKING!!! There's one girl in particular who's nose is browner than the brownest brown. And we were actually contemplating not putting her in simply because she was annoying us. She didn't so much show her eagerness for going in verbally, as much as she did staring me down when I'd turn to talk to Aubrey about a sub, or sitting literally ON Aubrey because she was so close to us. Well needless to say, we made it clear to the girls after the game (wonder if they could even see us through their precocious game loss tears) that they would NOT see playing time in a game if they asked us to go in.

Oh and this same girl keeps asking us when we're going to announce captains (obviously looking for a particular name to be called...and it's NOT her friend's) and we kept saying, stop asking. Well yesterday we both heard her whispering to some of the younger 6th grade girls to ask us about captains. THE NERVE.

So in conclusion, I'd like to share the most stressful things about coaching basketball, and yes I know I sound lame because these are only 6-8 graders. I'd like to see you do it.

-Subbing...keeping in mind practices attended, parents being weird about it, making sure everyone gets in at least a little bit.

-Activity bus expectations...what, just because we got "licensed," we're supposed to know how to operate that beast? Pish posh.

-Brown nosers...I like Orange nosers or yellow nosers more. Got a blue noser? Pink noser? I'll take her anyday. But keep the brown nosers away. Can't stand 'em.

-Along with subbing and brown nosers, being stared at whenever I turn to talk to Aubrey. I'm just one girl in this world, leave me alone. Look somewhere else. Like at the game.

-Boston. Tomorrow. 

-Carpool lines clogging the school entrance.

-Not being able to see directly behind me in that stupid activity bus. Shouldn't there be some way? No?

I'm going on and on. I'm going to stop. I have to get some rest before Boston attacks me and the activity bus and the girls with its city-ness and loudness and chaosness.