Worst Seat In The House: Riding the big bus

There was an interesting article in the Spokesman this past Sunday concerning the way the Gonzaga Bulldog basketball teams travel to and from away games.

They go via a private jet that fits the players and coaches of the respective teams. It is a 32-passenger model that helps the teams get to games and not have to go through the airport. A bus is waiting for them or the bus drops them off at the plane. I don’t know how all of that works other than we know the GU basketball is big time and rightfully so since it has been earned.

It got me to thinking about why people coach. In some instances it is for the money at the college and pro levels. But it doesn’t happen overnight and most coaches have to pay their dues whether it is as a graduate assistant or an unpaid assistant. If you are willing to make the sacrifice of sleeping on a friend’s couch and eating a lot of Top Ramen to get to that first paying job then I totally respect those that have that belief in themselves.

Many young coaches get their start at lower levels, maybe middle school or high school, and get their name out there as an up-and-coming basketball coach that is willing to put in the time and energy to turn around that next program.

I’ve seen it at the small-school level where a guy goes from one small school to another and shows great success and catches the eye of the big school and moves on. If a coach is willing to move a lot in a ten year period or so and finally make it then I’m sure it is worth it to them and their family.

Every so often the coach that has that type of plan finds the place that they are happy with and are willing to stay put because the community treats them well and they have everything they need and realize that they may not have the energy level to make that next team a success. And that isn’t a bad thing either.

I have a fair amount of experience riding a bus to and from games in the middle of winter for a high school or middle school basketball game. Three weeks ago, a day after schools closed early I was on a bus to Liberty for a Middle School (Jr. High) basketball game and the thing I noticed first is that it was quite chilly near the front of the bus. Nancy said those busses didn’t keep warm when there was a head wind and she was right. Players in the back of the bus were complaining that it was too warm and so they cracked open a window which made things even colder up front.

We made it and were in a warm school in a little over an hour. Three hours later we were back on the bus heading home. We brought about 21 basketball players with us and there were four on the bus on the return trip along with two coaches. The rest of the team went home with parents in the cozy confines of an SUV or minivan but something that brought consistent warmth to these young basketball players.

With a stop in Ritzville to drop off a coach and two basketball players it was on to Lind to drop off one player from Lind and one from Washtucna and yours truly. Since it was the last stop we needed to get the water bottles, med kit, bag with an extra jersey in it and the basketball bag. Oh and since it was the last away game of the season the black road jerseys were in a garbage bag to get washed and put away.

You might say that seems like a lot of work or maybe that I am complaining. If so then you missed something along the way. Coaching is something I enjoy and I found the place that is good for me. Some of the people that are coaching at other schools are 30-35 years younger than me but we know why coaching at this level is important. Some of them will likely be coaching at the high school level someday while others are content to stay where they are now.

We can live with riding that big bus in the winter and enjoy our team’s progress. That’s why I like coaching this age group. However, the next road trip I may dress a little warmer.