Chapter 14
Chapter
Fourteen
Despite it being the first day of school, Paisley already felt comfortable at Hawthorne High School.
She had spent countless hours in the weeks leading up to today in her office and the gym.
She had met the new hires during their orientation sessions and had also been introduced to the entire staff during the past week of teacher training for the upcoming school year.
Darby had been great, easing the way for Paisley by introducing her to so many others.
West had also been gracious, making certain she felt comfortable in coaching staff meetings.
He’d also spent several hours with her, going over her specific responsibilities as a head coach, covering everything from what was expected when traveling to away games to budget requirements to how concessions were handled at home games.
She felt confident today because of Darby and West’s help.
Paisley also had met a few of her players at a park last week when she and Sawyer had been out walking after dinner one evening.
A pickup game took place on one of the public courts, and they had watched it for a few minutes, with Sawyer pointing out a couple of girls who would be playing for her this year.
She recognized them from the yearbooks Darby had provided.
The two players who stood out the most, though, were ones who had decided to walk away from the team.
Paisley watched Desiree Sonato and Sheila Briggs in action and practically salivated at their ball skills.
If she could convince even one of them to return to the Lady Hawks, her job would be much easier, and the team would have a better chance at notching more than a couple of wins.
When the game ended, she had introduced herself to some of the girls on the court.
Desi and Sheila avoided her, quickly retrieving their water bottles and walking away.
Others, though, were nice enough to stick around and talk with her and Sawyer.
While she ached to get out on the court and start teaching them, Paisley knew she couldn’t cross the line drawn by the UIL and told the teenagers she would see them when school started.
That day had now arrived.
First period was her JV team. These girls were mostly freshmen, new to the high school and eager to play.
She had borrowed last year’s team photos from Marsha so that she knew all of these players by name.
Paisley talked about what it meant to be a team.
A team player. She told them the skills they would be working on this year.
Then she turned things over to Hope. Her assistant would take more of an active leadership role with these players.
While Paisley would still be their head coach, she would leave many of the daily decisions in Hope’s hands, from how practices were run to play calling during a game.
She wanted her assistant to stretch her wings and grow under Paisley’s tenure.
Every assistant dreamed of becoming a head coach one day, and she wanted to prepare Hope for when that opportunity arose.
The school day was divided into six periods.
After first period with her JV, Paisley had a girls PE class second period, followed by a boys PE class third period.
These were students who didn’t play a sport, march in the band, or participate in drill team or cheerleading, all activities which earned a PE credit.
She didn’t expect any of these students to be great athletes, but she wanted to give them an appreciation for various sports, along with instilling in them that activity at any age was good and made for a healthier life.
She explained to both PE sections how they would cover various sports, learning the rules and playing everything from volleyball to soccer to basketball during this school year.
Her PE classes would also do units where they performed yoga and Pilates, with a little meditation thrown in for mental well-being.
After those two PE classes, she had her teacher conference period during lunch and a coaching conference period she shared with Hope and other coaches.
It would be good to be free at the same time other coaches were.
She hoped to learn from them. Although they coached sports different from hers, they had common ground in wanting to do their best for their student athletes.
Her last period was when she and Hope met with the varsity squad.
When the bell rang ending fifth period, she felt the nerves flitting through her.
They were the good kind, though, not something she dreaded.
Paisley looked forward to this first official meeting between her and her players and hoped she wouldn’t disappoint them.
She had the girls assemble in the bleachers and noticed other students scattered about.
Hope had explained that seniors who had enough credits to graduate had the option for a senior out, where they didn’t have a class scheduled during the first or last period of the day.
It allowed them to sleep in or leave early in case they had a job they needed to get to.
Hope said some students shared rides with others who had to be here during those classes, though, and they would hang around the gyms, cafeteria, or library, catching up on homework or simply relaxing.
Desiree Sonato and Sheila Briggs were two of those seniors who were in the bleachers now, far enough apart not to be mistaken as members of her varsity team—yet close enough to hear what Paisley would have to say to them.
Ignoring the two former players, she smiled as the bell rang and her team stopped chattering, focusing their attention on her.
“It’s nice to finally meet the varsity Lady Hawks. I’m Coach Roberts.” She indicated Hope. “You already know Coach Sewell. She’ll be taking on a larger role in the program this year.”
“What was it like, playing in the Olympics?” asked Effie Compton, a junior who played center.
“I don’t want to dwell on me,” Paisley said, even as she read the disappointment on the faces of her players.
Then she realized she should share more of herself with them, just as Dr. Linda had done. That had made Paisley want to be more open and trusting of the therapist. The same lesson could apply here with her players.
“But I’m happy to spend a few minutes answering your questions before we get started.”
Looking at Effie, she said, “There’s nothing that compares to the Olympics. I played in championship games in both high school and college, and the Olympics are simply magical.”
Paisley went on to describe the feeling of entering a stadium in a foreign country, the rest of Team USA marching alongside you. What it felt like to live in the Olympic village. How competing in an Olympic game drove you to new levels.
“It’s a true honor to play for your country,” she concluded.
“Your teammates are the best athletes in your sport from your home country, and you’re playing against others of the same caliber from around the world.
When you notch a win, you see a sea of faces cheering you on.
Not just from the US, but from other countries.
People who are merely fans of the sport.
Who relish seeing the best players on the planet competing against one another. ”
Paisley smiled. “And a lump comes to your throat when you witness those USA flags waving in the stands. You realize you’re part of a team, but you’re also part of the bigger picture. You’re an American, proud to be one, representing your country on the world stage.”
She saw every eye round with wonder.
“But playing in the Olympics is just one stair step in a list of goals. Very few athletes have that as an objective, but every athlete should set goals. That’s what we’re going to do now.”
Nodding to Hope, her assistant started passing out note cards and envelopes. As she did, Paisley continued speaking.
“You’re going to write down your goals for this year. Putting something in writing always makes it seem more real. Makes you more accountable to that goal. Do we reach every goal we set? Of course not. But the journey to those goals is what’s really important.”
She looked around, seeing everyone had a card now.
And that Desi and Sheila were trying not to look interested.
“On your note card, I want you to list three goals for this school year. One academic. One regarding basketball. And one personal. We’ll seal the note card inside an envelope, and I’ll pass them out to you at the spring sports banquet.”
“Why are we doing this?” asked Roberta Gaffen, a junior point guard, looking confused.
“To learn more about yourself,” she replied.
“To make you think about what’s really important to you.
Believe me, we’ll be setting goals each week for our play on the court.
You might aim to hit half your shots one week.
Set a goal to bring up your number of assists per game the next.
Want to learn how to execute a certain play better.
Every week, I’ll meet with you individually, and we’ll discuss what your goal—or goals—are for that week.
As I said, reaching for a goal doesn’t mean you’ll always attain it, but it can make you a better player. And a better person.”
Paisley took a deep breath. “Okay. I want everyone to think now and then list an academic goal for this year. Yes, you’re an athlete, but you’re a student first. Set an academic goal for yourself. Maybe it’s making the A or B honor roll. Getting into National Honor Society. Think. Write it down.”
She gave them adequate time to do so, seeing the girls really thinking before they wrote.
“Next, your basketball goal.”
“Is it for the team or us as an individual player?” asked Ashley Phillips, a senior forward.
“Why don’t we do both?” she said.
Ashley looked at her blankly. “You mean … we can?”
“It’s a good suggestion, Ashley. I like input from my team.”