I did it!!!

Well I did it!! I managed to get through a whole season as basketball coach!! My job is not quite finished our final game is on Saturday, but tonight was the final training session, and we had a fun filled hour and a half!!
Looking back I have to say that the season did not come without its share of challenges, but the positives have out weighed any negatives by far!!

I know that I will look back on my time as coach fondly and will treasure the memories that I have shared with my son and his friends. 
There is a certain amount of pride and sense of self accomplishment that I can’t help feeling, that I’m sure will stay with me for a long while. 

Advertisement

Words parents should never use

So turns out I am too old to use certain words – who would have thought?? But according to my teenage son – who by the way knows absolutely everything – there are just some words that old parents such as myself should never use because and I quote “they are young words and you are old”
These words include : Hectic, Cool, Dude and Dog – what the??
Apparently all these words and many others, do not mean the same thing to teenagers that they mean to us old or older folk!! 

It’s hard because on the outside I may not look like a teenager anymore but somewhere deep inside I still remember what it was like being one and at times I even feel like I did when I was one. Thank goodness I now have teenagers to remind me that my young days are long gone!! 

Careers expo and information session

Just got back from a careers expo and information night at my son’s college. The night was very informative but very very daunting!! My son is half way through year 10 and this expo and information night was in preparation of Year 11 and 12.
There were stalls from all the leading Universities and Tafe’s in Victoria, along with The Police force, VACC, The Army, William Angliss, Real Estate agents and others, too many to remember them all.

We collected so many books /career guides, pamphlets and flyers that there is just no way we can get through them all. 

School based apprenticeships looked quite good too and for a second my son seemed to consider a school based apprenticeship in the automotive industry but ultimately health science is were we are heading I think – exercise physiology , physiotherapy etc. 

To get into one of the better Universities for Health Science you need an Atar score of 60ish with a 30 in English which is achievable I think/hope. 

I spoke with the senior school curriculum coordinator about my son dropping Maths next year he struggles with it so much, and her suggestion was to continue basic maths in year 11 because many courses only need unit 1 & 2 Maths.

I walked away feeling a lot better and I think George did too, at least we have some idea were we are heading now. 
Best part of the evening was the year 11 curriculum coordinator who was George’s English teacher last semester (and who is just the loveliest man ever ) went over and sat with George and was talking to him about university and subjects and life and i really think he got through to him, he is such a cool man the boys all love him . I was so appreciative. The year 10 coordinator also called George into his office earlier today and had a quiet word to him as I had requested. But Mr Burt (the English teacher – year 11 curriculum coordinator did it all on his own accord. As I said he is just lovely.

I think we will both sleep better tonight, it is very hard being a teenager these days, things are just so different now!! There is more competition out there, more pressure and if you don’t have a clear idea of what you want to do – and let’s face it who really does at 16 – then it’s just so stressful and I’ve gotta say draining.

Getting the message through. Not!!

Parent /teacher interviews again today, feels like it was only last month when I last caught up with the kids teachers and blogged about it. 

Fortunately Harry’s report and teachers feedback was excellent. Unfortunately George’s report was not so great, but the feedback from the teachers was definitely not as disheartening as I was expecting. Madelyn’s report and parent/teacher interviews are yet to come. 
I have really struggled with getting the message of how important school really is, across to George. I don’t know how else to say it or what else to do to get through to him.  

I know he is disappointed with his grades as much as we are, and at the moment he is really committed to trying harder to improve his marks but I can’t help thinking that this newly found commitment on his part is not going to last, and that worries me so much.

Tonight I will take solace in the fact that after speaking with the teachers it doesn’t look as bad for him as what the report suggested.  

Team bonding boxing session

OMG!! I am on such a high at the moment that I just couldn’t wait to get home and write to tell you all about it. The team bonding boxing night was soooooooooo good, sooooooo much fun!! I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way though. The boys seemed to have so much fun too – well all except George he was complaining that he was feeling sick, but I think he was just struggling – clearly he is not as fit as he thinks he is. 
The boxing session seemed to do exactly what I was hoping it would – bring the boys together again – by the end of the session they looked like they had resolved their issues – and if not resolved but at least looked like they had put them aside. 
The only disappointing thing was that the dad of the boy who caused the problems turned up to pick up his son (we picked him up on the way there but didn’t have enough room to take him home because had already committed to taking another two boys home.) and he seemed to be holding a grudge almost against the boys, and was giving them angry stares. I’m not going to let him spoil my mood though – I think it was a success and by the end of it all the boys were sweating and totally exhausted and still I couldn’t stop smiling!!!
The staff at the boxing gym were awesome!! And a massive thank you is due to my sister and my dear friend and Team Manager and my other dear friend who came along to support me and the boys and worked just as hard as the basketball boys. 
Tonight I am a happy coach, let’s hope the boys stay connected and we can go on to have some fun and win some games.

Tough day at the office

Tough day at the office this weekend at basketball!! The one thing the team had going for them, the one thing that gave them an edge above the competition is that they were a close knit team, kind of one for all and all for one. But in the last few weeks something has tipped the scales and the dynamics are all out. At this weeks game there was a massive blue between two of the boys, they almost came to blows!! How can we win any games when the team is bickering like this? Instead of focusing on each other’s weaknesses they should be appreciating each other’s strengths the unique qualities that each person brings to the team. 

So on Tuesday I have arranged for the boys to do a team bonding session at the boxing gym that I attend and love! I’m hoping that some time together to just have fun and work off some of those frustrations and some of that testosterone overload will helpfully help to mend the rift and gets us back on track.

Here’s hoping.

First loss for the season

So today we had our first loss in basketball and I have to admit it was disappointing! Even though we are still playing grading games, we still want to win.

The team we were up against today has beaten all the other teams they have come up against by an average of 50 points so we were expecting a tough game and I guess a loss.

The first half though our boys were awesome!! Half time scores were tied, our boys were on fire the opposition did not know what was happening, but then one of our players got injured – that’s the third player in three weeks to get hurt – and we were all out of subs.

The second half of the game, the opposition came out firing and got a few quick shots, our boys seemed to panic which lead to mistakes, which lead to the opposition getting ahead by quite a few shots. To the boys credit they didn’t give up and the final score was 23 to 42.

After the game the opposition coach came over and was just lovely – he could obviously see I was new to this coaching gig and offered some helpful advice which I am very grateful for.

So three weeks into the season, still grading games the tally is  two wins and one loss and three injuries. 

Please remember these are kids…..

  

Looks like I am finally going to put my awesome newly acquired boxing skills to the test – I have been rostered on to fill in as Marshall for my sons under 13 soccer game, not once but twice during the season.

Now you may think that kids soccer would not really warrant the need for a Marshall, but you would be very wrong.

Last year a parent grabbed the coach on the opposing team by the neck in a heated moment. And there have been many other incidents – usually between parents – where someone has had to step in to avoid a full blown fight.

Now just how effective I will be as Marshall I really don’t know, I am only 5 foot 2 and not really what you would call sturdy, but I  am a mum of three teenage children so I guess that makes me kind of tough right? 

Victory!!!!!

First game of the season, first time as coach and first win!!! Woohoo!!! I’m feeling very pumped!! The boys were awesome they played like a team, each and everyone of them stepped up and performed at their best. 

Their shooting, which is what has let them down in the past, was really good.  They backed themselves and the result was a great win. The first of many more I hope.

I don’t think I did much as coach, but it kind of felt like the boys were aware of my nervousness and were stepping up to help me out, to make it easier for me, and for that I  am really grateful and very proud.

My husband and my sister and nephew as well as  my twins all came along to support me and the boys, which was just wonderful, and this just added to the awesome experience. 

So a big thank you to all the parents and a great big thank you to my family and most of all  Well Done Bulls!!

  

Parent /Teacher interviews

Parent /teacher interviews again this week first one for the twins in high school and both of them are off to a flying start I could not be more proud. 

When it came to my sixteen year old it was not as smooth I’m afraid. You know it’s going to be bad when for the last two days your teenager has been pleading with you not to see one particular teacher!! That’s when you know that you must meet with this teacher and you brace yourself for what may come. Fortunately it wasn’t as bad as I was anticipating!! 

So first term was good lets hope the rest of the year will be even better!!