in Personal by coach mike on 29 Aug 2007
I’m sure every coach, as do most human beings, have regrets. When I’m driving around with free time on my mind, I always seem to get to the old game of what if? When regrets come to track, one thing always pops back into my head. The boys track sectional 2006 at Marion. We were having a good day, Corey my TJ and LJ was doing well, Grant had gotten to the finals of the 110’s, even Brock the first year senior discus thrower was in 2nd place going into the finals. My youngest child TC was our high jumper, to qualify for state, you either had to be 1st or 2nd or met a qualifier. The height in the high jump was 6′5″. TC had made the mark at a meet earlier in the year. And he was having a good day, clearing all the heights up until 6′3″. We had talked about passing that height and waiting for the qualifier. So after clearing 6′1″, he called me over we talked, he decided to try the 6′3″, which he missed on his first of three attempts. At this point as his coach, I should of said pass to 6′5″, since 6′3″ meant nothing and there were 2 other jumpers left. But I didn’t and he didn’t. I couldn’t make the call when it counted. We ended up with a great meet, but I will always regret not making that choice. That’s the bad part of coaching a sport like track and cross country, you can be happy for one athlete and sad for 10 others.