The long and the short of it....

This season was too long, and yet too short. This coming Saturday are the track Championships, and then its over. All of us will go our separate ways. Some of the girls I will see again at school. Some have come from other schools but participate because their schools don’t have track programs. I have my doubts that I will ever see them again.

I am very proud of all of these girls. Each one has grown these few months. All of them are better athletes. I hope that they are better people. I hope that they have grown from my coaching.

I wonder about a couple of them. They have been especially close to me. Both of them are never far from where I am. I wonder if they do not get enough attention from their Daddy’s. If this is the root of their behavior, it is a tragedy. They are bright and smart and beautiful. I wish I could look their fathers in the eye and tell them “pay attention stupid. Someday they will leave home, and they will belong to someone else, and they won’t be crying for your attention. This day will come sooner than you think.”

My son is 12, going on 13. These girls are 9 going on 10. Is it crazy of me to hope that one of them catches his eye someday? I see so much potential in two of them.

Two of them were sisters. Their mother is pregnant with another child. She reminded me of this at least 32 times at the meet this weekend. Maybe it was because she was pregnant, ( I realize that this gives women a free pass on almost any kind of behavior) but she reminded her girls at least a dozen times how much she was sacrificing to be at their meet. Yes it was cold, yes it was raining, but the girls had their best meet all year. Why did their mother have to dull the luster of the day?

I could go on and on. I will miss these girls. I would be proud to be their Dad.

Peace