- November 25, 2024
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I have been to three Seabreeze girls basketball games this season — all of them significant losses for the Sandcrabs. Through their first six games, the Sandcrabs had just one win: a 41-20 blowout over Pine Ridge on Dec. 1.
But in each game, no matter if the Sandcrabs managed to string together a couple baskets or if they were down by 30, head coach Avery Randolph’s demeanor remained the same. From the opening tip until the final buzzer, he coached, instructed and inspired his players, many of whom never touched a basketball prior to this season, to do their best.
Regardless of the athletic talent on his roster or that of the Sandcrabs' opponents, Randolph’s expectations were unflappable. He expected to win.
“It’s always to win,” he said. “That’s what we’re about. We know there has to be either a winner or a loser. We go into every game with high expectations. We want to win. We’re supposed to be winning games.”
Finally.
Too many times, I’ve heard this excuse after a loss: “Well, we’re just here to have fun.”
To an extent, that’s great. Playing sports is fun. You should do something because you love it. But having fun, at least in sports, shouldn’t be your only objective. The reason you wake up at 5:30 in the morning to lift weights or run, the reason you pour your sweat and tears onto a court or field after hours of practice, and the reason you give your body for a loose ball or charge shouldn’t be because you just like having fun. None of the things I just mentioned are fun by any stretch of the imagination.
The reason you give your all, the reason you play is simple: to win.
That should be the expectation. Always.
And do I believe winning is everything? That you’re not worthy of respect if you don’t win? Absolutely not.
I have the utmost respect for someone who is willing to give their all even when coming out victorious isn’t always likely. If you give 100% effort, regardless of the outcome, you’re worthy — not because I said so, but because you proved it to yourself.
“My expectation is to win. I want them to be winners,” Randolph said after his team’s loss to New Smyrna Beach. “I want them to know how it feels to win. Each win that we’ve had this season, we enjoyed every moment. The ones we lost, short-term memory. But every night, we’re going to go out and work. We’re going to fight because that’s what they want to do. And if they want to fight, I’m going to go to battle with them.”
To coach Randolph and other coaches like him: Thank you.
Thank you for teaching your kids to work hard and to strive for greatness no matter what.
