When Chaos and ADD Meet
My little basketball team completed their regular season today with two wins to finish 6-0. These girls play defense with passion and a sense of urgency like it is their job.
We started last year as a 3rd-4th grade team and competed in two YMCA leagues. I think their record was 15-1-1. This past year, we decided to move to the next level and play in a more competitive, yet still recreational league. We are now a 5th-6th grade team with four 4th graders playing up a year.
Last season, we went 7-1-1 and our only loss was in the championship. Today we beat that same team 22-4 but I told the girls not to celebrate because we have some unfinished business left in terms of a postseason tournament. We are once again the #1 seed. I reminded them that records and seeds do not matter at any level and we need to hustle and try our best to win, even if we come up short on the scoreboard.
For some of our players, their grandparents attend a few games and they typically introduce themselves and say hi to me afterwards.
This season, I struck up a special friendship with one of the grandfathers. After one of the early season games, he introduced himself and complimented the girls on how well they were playing and thanked me and my assistant for coaching the team. He was wearing heavy duty work boots, a John Deere hat and jacket with well worn overalls. I knew right away he was a farmer because that type of apparel is hard earned and well respected for obvious reasons. It is not necessarily a popular casual fashion choice.
I shook his hand and jokingly told him he was our good luck charm and he hasn’t missed a game since that point in time. Earlier today, I noticed he wasn’t there at tipoff so I hoped everything was ok. It turns out at 80 years old he still has cattle to tend to on his farm.
We walked out of the gym together and he pulled me aside and said, “Hey Coach, you and I have something in common.” I thought of a few possibilities but was stumped because nothing came to mind. Then he shook my hand and said, “I have ADD too but wasn’t diagnosed until I was 50.” We compared our stories, coping mechanisms and how we battle it everyday.
After a week of single digit temps and dark days, the Colorado sun was in full force and I had to look at the ground because I was fighting back a tear or two as I thanked him for sharing his story with me because we shouldn’t be ashamed of it. I asked him if I could take and post a photo of us from our chat today.
I would be lying if I said I haven’t thought about how I would react if Team Chaos is lucky enough to win it all. Just like when it happened when I coached Kaden’s team, I plan on locating Emily first and giving her a bear hug. Like any good coach, my game plan now has a new wrinkle in it. Yes, you guessed it, I ADDed Grandpa Bill to my hug list.
