Okay, I'm biased. I confess. As a parent, when it comes to witnessing one's son or daughter accomplish certain things or attain certain goals, we relish those moments like none other. As we watch our kids ascend the ladder of life and succeed at something that is near and dear to their hearts, any mom or dad will tell the story of that experience with a sense of joy that almost equals the joy that their child has felt in reaching those emotional heights. It is with this in mind that I want to share, as a parent, the success this year of our younger son, Alex, an experience he will savor for the rest of his life.
While Alex is dedicated to his job managing the special education department at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, his passion lies in sports. It has been this way ever since he was a young child. No matter what the sport, whether as a fan or as a participant, this aspect of life is what inspires Alex the most and makes him most want to thrive and excel. Growing up it was soccer, basketball and lacrosse. As he got older it morphed into a passionate pursuit of keeping up with sports news and joining fantasy leagues with good friends. And then he launched a podcast that he created to discuss all things sports. But, then the opportunity arose to be a coach. Starting out as a JV coach at a high school, Alex applied his knowledge and experience to get young kids to maximize their skills, better understand the beauty of teamwork, and become better people.
A few years ago, Alex got the opportunity to be the varsity basketball coach at University City High School in San Diego. As is so often the case in sports, the road can be a rocky one and Alex and his teams, the Centurions, rode the roller coaster of success and defeat. But, this year something kicked in. For the first time in thirteen years, he took his team to the championship of their league and then moved on to the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) tournament where they would face stiffer competition from other league winners in the San Diego region. They somehow made it to the championship game of that tournament where they would face the no. 1 seed, Rancho Buena Vista High School.
Tensions, as you might imagine, were high. These kids had never played in a game where the stakes were so high. And, all this before a huge, animated crowd in a very large arena. We have attended a number of Alex's games over the years and marveled at his uncanny ability to communicate so effectively with his players. Yes, he can be tough on them, but he is also compassionate and listens to them and motivates them in a way that is meaningful to them and resonates with them in a way that is demonstrated by the increasing success of his team. Whether it's in pre-game speeches or time outs or individual coaching/counseling moments, it's all about motivation, encouragement, and inspiration.
I had the good fortune to be able to watch the game online. Although the Centurions started out great in the first quarter, the margin narrowed to just a few points. As nervous as I was and as much as I was yelling my support from three thousand miles away, I'm quite sure what I was feeling was nothing compared to what Alex and his team were experiencing emotionally the closer they got to the finish line. And, then in one of those magical scenarios, the fourth quarter belonged to the Centurions. They ended up winning by 15! And, that CIF championship belonged to them!
For all the excitement of the game, what followed was for me, as a parent, the most lasting memory. While the post-game celebration on the court was overflowing with energy as the trophy was handed to Alex, what followed said more. Alex and Julian, his assistant coach, and the team exited the floor and returned to the locker room. There, the release of all the emotion and energy that had been building astronomically finally exploded. As they all got into the locker room, the yelling and hugging crescendoed into unadorned joy and celebration. The team dumped a bucket full of ice water on Alex as they all pointed at their ring fingers of their imaginary championship rings with Alex leading the way in screaming cheers and excitement like I don't think I've ever seen. I've watched the video of this celebration a number of times and each time it makes me laugh and almost want to cry as I remotely share in their epic moment.
When I spoke to Alex the next day to hear first hand from him about his take on the experience, he was just gobsmacked by the elation that he shared with his staff and players. He did say that other than his marriage day and the birth of his and Katie's two boys that this was the most memorable moment in his life! And, again, as parents, that sentiment put Lily and me over the moon.
It's on to the State championship tournament now. That will be a huge challenge, for sure, but nothing, nothing!, can ever take away these memories of success for this season that will stay with Alex and his team forever! Same for his mom and dad!
