Three years ago, while I was the head coach (only coach) for 22 middle school volleyballers, my brother, Houdini, stepped up to be my assistant coach for our tournaments. He took time out of his crazy busy schedule (getting his teaching degree and coaching a Jr. Varsity v-ball team at a local high school) to help me take 3 teams into two weekend tournaments. I cannot begin to tell you how proud (and relieved) it made me feel to be able to walk into a gym with him and know that he had my back and would coach my B and C teams with the same principles that I used. (After all, guess who he had for his first coach ... heh heh ... yup!!) It was tough for him to have to "dummy-down" his skill levels for my girls, but he did great!! I mean, there's a pretty big gap between junior high ball and junior varsity ball ... big gap!! Huge!!! But having him as my assistant coach got crossed off of the list, right then and there!!
Two years ago, Houdini and I played on a rec league volleyball team. He always played to my left so that he could take the serves that were aimed in my direction. Even with my RSD, I can pass, I can set, I can hit, I can serve underhand only, I can tip, but I cannot serve receive, serve overhand, or dive for a ball. Towards the end of our season, our sister, the Bombshell, was in town with her family and she and her husband took the court with us!! I played in a competitive match with both of my siblings!! We lost 2-1 but I didn't care. (That kinda pissed off the b-i-l, but...) I was on cloud nine, having just done something that I'd always hoped to do, but never thought it would ever happen. <BAM> one more thing crossed off of my list!!
To some, these might seem trivial. To me, they were priceless!! Being 12 and 14 years older than the Bombshell and Houdini, respectively, I was the one who taught both of them to play when they were very, very young. I coached both of them when they were in high school, but we had never taken the court together. When I contracted RSD in 1991, they were 10 and 8. They watched me fight to be able to coach so that I continue to be in their lives. Volleyball was our connection while the years and pain put barriers between us.
2 years ago I retired from coaching because of my health. Today I come out of retirement and become Houdini's assistant coach for his charter middle school's inaugural volleyball season. Now I get to have his back!! I am scared, nervous, jittery (no, it's not the caffeine), excited, paranoid, and hopeful. I feel genuinely needed for the first time in quite a while!! He informed me last night that he now knows how I felt when I had 22 girls all by myself. He's got 28 and a gal that he teaches with as the other assistant, though she's never coached a day in her life. Houdini's exact words were, "Jenn, I need you. I need you help me teach the basics, and help me transition down to this level." How could I say, "no"?? It's volleyball!! And it's my brother!! And it's volleyball!!
I had faith that this day would come!! I didn't know how I would be able to respond to the calling, but I knew it would happen. I have faith that I will help my brother to the best of my ability. I have faith that I will fill the volleyball sized gap in my heart with these crazy kids and this wonderful sport. Pain be damned, I'm coaching again!! Can I get a "WOOT WOOT"?????
No comments:
Post a Comment