I should just let post #33 go but just like Mike couldn't help himself, I can't help myself.
First, it is a shame, Mike, that you used "we" and not "she."
Per "winning." I've coached HS for 31 years and coached before I started coaching in HS. I've learned a lot about winning and the use of the term "winning." In fact, I've often found out that those that claim to be "winning" have to posture and pronounce that to the world while losing in so many ways. Of course, I don' t know Mike but some of you do. I was once all about winning. I found it hollow. Oh, in sports it is great to be state champs and I have been a couple of times as a coach. In fact, Straighleg, Hitter and a few others know many of my accomplishments. I say "my accomplishments" when, in fact, it took several players in 4 sports I coached to step up and get it done. I was simply the coach. I admire those players. The real winning in all of those cases was not in the outcome of games. It was in "winning kids." IOWs creating an environment that enabled those players to "win" on the field but demanding a higher level of commitment to being exceptional in the classroom, as sons and daughters, as representatives of their communities ... Oh, I've seen teams "win" on the field when they lost as people. I've seen human beings the same. They might win in an athletic contest but they are miserable people who you would never want to hang around with. You would never want your child to turn out like them.
This year, I am coaching my first losing team in 31 years of coaching. Yet, we are winning so much. We have a young lady who can no longer finish a 9 hole round of golf and so, can't finish a match. My seniors led the team in a discussion of why this player needs to be in every match this year. It is probably this young lady's last year of golf. She can no longer practice for more than an hour and we had to have a Doctor's order establishing guidelines for her to be on the team. So, we are currently 1 -7. She has made it through 3 holes. This might be the team that has won the most in important way of any team that I have ever coached. That is real winning.
Finally, as a parent, my dd was pretty successful. While that was great, those were games. Real winning is when people tell you about her personality and that she is so positive. Winning is when they say that they want their daughters to grow up like her. Winning is when I see her working at the various charities and making other people's lives better and when she gives back to her community by volunteering her time to coach young players. Winning, it is what she does.
