Coach Stoley-Personal Narrative

Coach Steve Rocker is one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in Kentucky’s history. Coach Rocker was very successful in previous years. Strangely, this year was very different for him. For the first time in his professional life, he is falling short of his expectations, the community expectations, and the team’s expectations. His team lost a lot of games, but most importantly the boys had no motivation or desire to bring the team out of the rut they found themselves. His players have lost their will to win, their love for their teammates, and their passion to play. Coach Rocker’s motivational methods that have always worked before and resulted in success are now failing, and he doesn’t know why. He argues that his players have become selfish and bored with winning because they have been so successful in previous years. “And there’s no question that my guys have lost their drive to win because they’ve won so much in the past. Now all they want is individual ‘wins’…which just doesn’t cut it on a team” (Gongwer, 2010, p. 17).

“Bang,” yelled the crowd in unison. We fed off the cheering and screaming home crowd. We used their cheers as our energy. We kept on going. From somewhere in the crowd, I heard someone yell, “come on guys, you’re only down one now.” A harsh realization dawned on me. For all of the glory in the three pointer we just made, we were still losing, and we only had 11 seconds to change that. Inbound, foul; within seconds, their team was at the free throw line shooting two free throws. “The first free throw is…good.” A hush fell over the home crowd. Everyone knew what that meant. It meant that now, the only way to win the game is by the means of another three pointer, and that is only if he misses this next shot. If not, our only chance is to tie the game with a three

It is the first round of the Basketball State playoffs, and with eight seconds left, the talented Northwest team is down by three. The star point guard speed dribbles up the court, the tension on and off the court is immense, the pressure is even greater. Everyone during and prior to this game, had witnessed a season full of promise, and the consensus conclusion for most recognized this team as the best team to have ever come out Northwest High School. This was our best and likely only chance for success. So as the point guard puts the ball up, time nearly stops, it has a chance, but in like in life, the game of basketball is unforgiving, he misses. As most made their pre-conceived predictions of the future, or lack thereof, a young sophomore and his Junior Varsity teammates, we were inspired by our elders walking off the court, and the doubters going home. Bonded together, and we believed we were destine for something historical, and mythological outside our small circle. Thus two years later the 2016 Northwest Varsity Basketball team, the discourse community, where I developed relationships with the people I still call my brothers. A community which has shaped my work ethic, and has given me the knowledge of the amount of effort and work it takes to be successful. All of which was in efforts for a goal not even pronounced among our teammates, to us the future was still a mystery, only realized to us a one

This cliché echoed in my ears as I picked myself off the floor. I could see the crowd in the sidelines—fans in worry and shock. I tried to get up only to find that I could not. Some teammates sprinted over to help lift me up, but their sportsmanlike intentions only worsened the pain. After gathering enough willpower, I arose and hobbled over to the bench, feeling ashamed at my inability to fend for my own team.

Their coach was Chet Carnivale. Coach Chet had been making a big impact on the Greenwave girls. It was late January, early February; the middle of the basketball season, and their record was 22-0. They couldn’t believe they were undefeated. Taking on Sacred Heart at 4:30, the Greenwave girls would compete to win the championship game in the Sacred Heart Tournament. Time had flown by. The sound of basketballs bouncing and the squeaking of basketball shoes burning rubber on the floor meant that it was almost game time. The Greenwave girls were extremely anxious. Coach Chet had sparked a new confidence in them, and their anxiety and fear quickly turned into anger and determination to give their long-time enemy a taste of their own medicine. Somehow, the fear of destroying their record and losing a chance at revenge still lingered in the back of their minds. All of a sudden, the ref blew the whistle for the jump

It was the fourth quarter in the conference championship game and the bright green scoreboard read 40 to 39 with 10 seconds left. The fans were out of their seats flailing their arms with wide eyes. The glowing lights in the gym beamed off of the shiny court which smelled like glossy wood. I had butterflies in my stomach ,and my heart was racing. As soon as I heard the high shrill of the whistle, I was ready to play ball.

The chills creep up my spine, uncomfortably I notice every single person there was watching my every move. We were going head-to-head with the Vikings, they did very well at intimidating our team to death, but inside I knew we could try. They had some tall buffy people that didn't seem afraid that our dignity was high and on the line. We couldn't waste it here, right now. Next, a loud Screech the referee blew her whistle, and at that moment we knew it was time. We played as if it was the Olympics, even though it was just for fun.Then, the ball went all over the court back and forth meanwhile the crowd screaming, cheering, and excitedly saying, “Go Huskies!”

Matt’s season had started in the middle of October. He was so excited, because basketball was a sport he loved. He was an excellent shooter when it came to basketball. His three’s were usually drained, without no problem. He was ready for basketball to start. He usually played point guard. He went to all of the practices and was ready for the basketball season to start. He was so hyped on the day he walked into the doors at school. He was so excited to kick off the season vs. El paso-Gridley. After school ended the basketball team had gone to Michael's to eat before the game. After eating they stopped at BP for some Gatorade. After BP it was time to come back to the school to get ready. During warm ups before the game,

Twenty minutes passed, we played just 7 games and the first set was complete. All that adrenaline I had built up had suddenly turned to shame. During changeovers, my coach was desperately trying to get me into my happy place. He tried talking strategy, but eventually realizing that his efforts were for naught, reverted to try and humor me by quoting “Animal House” or joking about how unattractive he thought my opponent was just to try and get my head on straight. As the second set neared its conclusion, I felt a sense of failure. About a week back, my team gave me the honor of being captain. I was supposed to be defending our new courts and setting an example for the young underclassmen hoping to one day be in my shoes. Instead, I was on the receiving end of a metaphorical butt-thumping by our biggest, most hated

3…2…1…BZZZZT. The buzzer sounded and tears flooded my eyes as I sunk to the ground in what felt like slow motion. I couldn’t breathe. As I looked to the left I watched the blue and gold sea of fans as they rushed to file out of the stands as if they were being herded like cattle. As I looked to the right I saw the scoreboard, both making the tears fall faster. This was our shot, one win away from making a state appearance in over eight years and we blew it in the sectional final game. That was the last time I would ever play high school basketball.

“Man why you never talk loud?” exclaimed Johnny with a serious face. But Mark was just focused on basketball, not the advise his friend was trying to give.” Well, one of these days you're going to have to start speaking up Mark.” Mark just ignored him and went to the gym. When he got there, the coach was already talking. His height, and athletic frame made everybody assume he was great at the game. Knowing this everybody respected him. “Nobody, veteran or rookie has a spot on this team as of right now.” Yelled the coach. “I give out positions to people who are willing to put the work in.” This made Mark feel good, he was very confident in his skills, but now he knew that being a freshman wouldn't hold him

Oh my god I don’t know why i’m nervous.You’ll be fine Hannah it’s just a basketball game nothing else you got this. The clock was ticking down till the game starts. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. The game starts, the ref throws the ball up, and Olivia tips it to Brooklyn. Brooklyn gets the ball and passes to one of my teammates, they dribble down the court passit to Julia Nunn and she shoots and makes it. After the first quarter it’s 10-7 them. The second quarter was starting and I felt like I was doing terrible, I couldn’t dribble, pass, or even make a

Pass, Set, SPIKE! I sprinted across the court, pursuing my base position with sweat rolling down my cheeks and weight upon my shoulders; the score of the fifth set was 13-12 and I played passionately, letting the game engulf me entirely. This was when I felt the most alive. But the universe is fighting me to throw my passion away in the garbage. Volleyball is the passion that I have committed myself to master for years and often, unfortunate circumstances have pushed me to stop participating in the game. Discouragement from many individuals, financial instabilities, and most of all, health problems and injuries I have faced were all obstacles that hindered my path to success. Every instance I lost control of what occurred in this unpredictable universe, it was as if everything and everyone just wanted to keep me away from a simple volleyball, but why was playing so disgraceful?

After the first 10 minutes of the game, we are down by 10 points. Then slowly we started catching up to the other team. This was definitely not our game. Our point guard was having a major headache so she had to go off, we start to go downhill from there. One of the forwards was in a bad mood since we were losing so she did not pay attention in the game which lead to an embarrassing mistake. She grabs the ball from a player on the other team and runs… the wrong way, she goes up for a lay up while everyone on our team is screaming “NO!, wrong way, turn around!”, everyone pauses, players on the other team stare in confusion and others smirk. She misses and her face turns red. “I didnt um know i'm sorry” she feels ashamed. Everyone on our team feels embarrassed. Some roll their eyes, a few let out a small laugh, and for me, i just sit there with a blank face knowing that I won’t be playing anymore this year. It’s the last 5 minutes of the game and we are down by 30 points. It's over. No more games for

Down just four focuses, after an extraordinary rebound by my fellow team members. It took us always to abbreviate the lead to only two the two focuses. The tall point monitor before me, he wore a cameron shirt that said "Vapors."Until the last moment of the amusement, my thumped down a decent three. Presently driving by one,my pulse gradually quieting down. The tall official blows the shriek. Timeout. "Try not to surrender, Don't surrender, Don't surrender," the mentor hollered. After the timeout the rival's point watch with the pale sweat-soaked countenances gazed at me. We had the ball with 20 seconds left. The ball came into the palm of my hand then abruptly the ball is free. The adversary had taken it. The tall point protect took it and scored. With ten seconds, we missed a layup. We lost the ball game, and now we are out of the competition. I had one employment, and it was to secure the ball for an entire 20 seconds, yet I fizzled. In the wake of discovering my auto, I was embarrassed about myself. That night, rehashing the scenes of the diversion, it made me more frantic and embarrassed about