Saying goodbye to seniors

One of the best things about coaching high school is the relationships you develop, especially with the seniors. Even though this was my first year at the high school, there was still something very special about these kids. The confidence that they have while at the same time still being youthful is a wonderful thing to experience.

We luckily were able to finish our season but knowing what we know now, this class is always going to be marked as the year of COVID. They didn’t get a normal senior year. Far from it. Most of these guys were involved in spring sports and had their seasons canceled. Some lost time that they were using to get in front of college recruiters. No prom. No graduation ceremony. No last day or last week.

I had six seniors on the team this year (one didn’t make it through the season with me unfortunately) and the sentiment that I had at the end was simply that I wish I had them for another year. It was a challenging year for them. A new system with little time to prepare. We had some tough losses as well as a few good wins to build on.

The biggest thing that I hope these kids remember is that when you are on a team together, you end up being part of a family. That means something. They may go for many years without seeing one another, but when they do, there will always be a special bond. For the first time, I’m beginning to understand what that means as a coach.

This first group of seniors I will forever be grateful for. They welcomed me in. They bought into what I wanted to try and accomplish and they made my first year an enjoyable one. We experienced several life challenges together. Their friendship and support meant a lot during some pretty challenging times personally.

I hope that they were able to gain some valuable experience that will help them as they move on. I also hope that they know my door will always be open to them.

Love you guys!

BasketballGarrett RossMay 29, 2020