I coached in quite a few pressure-filled basketball tournament games during my long career on the bench. Sitting in the stands now and watching nail-biting postseason games brings back memories for me, and I find myself feeling the same tensions and emotions that I see on the faces of the coaches in the games. There is a certain amount of pressure for every coach in every game, but the stakes are raised in the postseason and at each level of the tournament the stress is ratcheted up a notch. Dealing with the pressure and stress created in those win or go home tournament contests is a challenge for even the most poised and veteran coaches.
In my very first year as the head coach of Lima Central Catholic, 1978, I was invited, along with all the Lima coaches, to talk to the Rotary Club about our prospects for the upcoming basketball season. I was seated next to Dwaine Holt, the veteran coach at Bath. I remember, in our conversation, Holt warned me about the tremendous preoccupation with basketball that becomes a burden for all coaches as the season progresses. At the time I didn’t really understand what Dwaine was trying to advise me, but I learned from experience exactly what he was talking about. For a basketball coach, the game can become more mind-consuming each month and it can become a real challenge to simply find ways to distract themselves from their jobs. And the preoccupation can hit its peak during the tournament trail.
Like all coaches’ wives, my better half, Janie, was always trying to bring me out of my basketball fixation. I recall during one deep tournament run, she made a great meal for me and began making conversation about everything but basketball, desperately trying to get my mind off the subject. I was completely lost in my own thoughts, worrying about every little detail and crossing t’s and dotting i’s I had already done a million times. Frustrated, Janie pointed her steak knife at me and said, “I bet if I cut the top of your head off right now, a thousand tiny little basketballs would come bouncing out on the table.” I’m thankful she didn’t feel the need to prove her point but she was exactly right. I believe there are a lot of coaches’ wives who can relate to that story.
It was easier to find distractions from basketball when our kids were younger but as they got older and began to leave the nest, the pile of books on the table next to my bed began to multiply. Reading a good book is a great way to relax and take the focus off any kind of stress. My advice to young coaches has always been to immerse themselves in their classroom duties and plan out of town date nights with their brides. (Scouting doesn’t count) It helps if those nights out are planned well in advance and noted on every calendar in the house and at school.
The reason all of this is important is because a coaches’ disposition and attitude can have a dramatic effect on their team. Players “catch” their coaches mental and emotional mood, especially before big games. I always tried to appear confident and loose in front of my teams before critical tournament games but admit I was often like the duck sailing smoothly over the water but whose feet were working furiously under the surface and out of sight. In spite of the tension, one of the things I miss the most about coaching since my retirement is being in those pressure filled moments of postseason games that go right down to the wire. I loved coaching in that moment.
Good luck to all the Lima area boys teams and coaches as we hit the critical week of the regional tournament where a trip to Columbus is at stake. Best wishes as well to the Ottawa-Glandorf girls who have already made it to the state semifinals. Keep in mind these athletes and coaches have the most to gain and lose because of the tremendous amount of time and sacrifice they have invested. Win or lose, show them the respect they richly deserve.
Notes: On the heels of Mike Mullen’s captivating memoir last year, comes a great new book by long-time local broadcaster Mike Schepp. “Game Night, My Career in Broadcasting,” hits the book shelves this week and chronicles Schepp’s fascinating 34-year career covering some of the most dramatic games in Ohio history. For high school sports fans it’s a must read. Both books are on sale at the Lima Readmore stores and Schepp’s new book can also be ordered at his website: scheppbook.com.
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