The Coach

Last week I was out for my evening walk, stretching my back form several hours of writing on the computer. The soft evening air and setting sun took me back to a time, not so long ago, when I stood at the high school track and timed my daughter, Liesel as she practiced he 800 meter run. She had lagged a bit on the back stretch and I knew that this time would not be her best. I made a mental note to stand over there next time she ran to cheer her on. I should still have time to cut across the field and check her time at the finish line. She approached the line red-faced and spent but pushed forward and leaned into the finish as she had been taught. My stop watch showed a time of two thrity-seven; not bad, but not Liesel's best. Her questioning eyes clouded with disappointment when I called out the time. She jogged the track slowly, cooling down, then came back to stand by me.

"What am I doing wrong Daddy?" She sighed. "I felt like I got a good start and the first lap felt good, but I started to run out of steam on the second lap." I looked for ansers, got an idea and started to give it to her, then paused and remembered that she would learn more if the idea cam efrom her.

"Do you remember what Coach Kidd talked about the other day?" I prompted. "Well," Liesel pondered, "I guess she would say that I started out too fast, ran out of steam and didn't start my finishing sprint until I was on the home stretch."

"Yes, that's it", I encouraged, "and she also said that if you imagine that the last curve is a slingshot it will help you remember to kick in your sprint early enough to finish strong. Now why don't you try it again and start off just a bit slower? Remember, 'Rise up on the wings of eagles, run and don't be weary.' "

She smiled and put her toe on the line. I raised my hand and then dropped it and off she went. This time the stop-watch read two thirty-four, a new personal best! Liesel grinned from ear to ear. "Thanks Daddy!" "You did it Sweetie, I just reminded you of what you already knew."

I smile at the memory, get out my cell phone and call Liesel's number. She answers after a few rings. "Hi Daddy." "Hey Sweetie, how's track?" I ask. "Oh, I'm kind of discouraged. These girls don't seem to want to pay attention when I try to coach them, and one of them, who is really good, seems to feel like she knows more than I do. I'm a bit intimidated by her."

I'm tempted to tell her what to do and then I remember that 800 meter run. "What's your plan?" I ask. "Well, I thought maybe I would take them on a long run tomorrow so they can see that I can keep up with them, and then I'll ask Callie, (she's the good one), if she will be the captain and help me teach the others how to get their best time on the 800." "Good plan, Sweetie. I better hang up. I love you." "I love you too Daddy, thanks."

Last night Liesel called. she was just home from the first track meet of the season. "Daddy, would you believe it? My 800 meter medley team came in second place and Callie got a personal best!" "Good job, Sweetie!" I smile. Coaching the coach is pretty good work if you can get it.