Ayyyy
I wanna talk about things I love and (I feel blessed to say) I've gotten to be a part of,. I also wanna try to tie it all together to shed a little light on why I wanna teach and coach in the future. I'mma cut this into two separate parts too because it's already a giant block of text and I ain't about making it pretty with pictures and that.
-Music-
I wouldn't think music had much to do with coaching or teaching or basketball or really much at all since in my mind it comes pretty naturally and I don't sit and think about what it does for me. Then I sit here with my weird "write the perfect blog" writer's block nonsense going on forcing me to actually look at what music is for me right now, specifically the music I get to be a part of. But first some thoughts on what I think music is.
Kurt Vonnegut told a school that everyone should work on an art. Any art, no matter how good you are or how good you get. Simply to find out more about yourself. Let your soul grow. I'm not sure if your Mom's told you that a good corn chowder was good for your soul or not but throughout my childhood I heard that phrase about a good many things that probably are "good", but for the soul? I'm not so sure. But what Kurt said about an art I agree with whole heartedly.
Music is expression. Its emotion. It is the language of the soul. Its raw. Its universal. Its good. Its complex. Its simple. Its necessary.
You can love it from any angle! Making it, hearing it, writing it, picking it apart, certain voices, certain instruments, certain sounds, lyrics, lyricists, genres, songs.
I could prolly bore you with my favorite parts of all of those pieces that I think make up music but golly that'd be annoyingly long. (Lets just talk about it sometime)
My dad sings, always has, always will, so naturally my brothers and I sang all the time. From singing along to a Billy Gilman cd blasting on a boombox in the basement, being a choir boy nearly every year of school, to an aspiring worship leader on Sundays, I've always felt at home flexing my pipes.
The Lord has really blessed me. And before you read this and think "Holy crow, man. Steven just rambles on and on about how good he has it blah blah blah" I just wanna say I'm a weirdo and I don't process things until I speak them/write them out. So this is for me to just remind myself of how good our God is and for yall to be with me as I process it. Oh boy!
Opportunity-being raised by a family who enjoys singing and isn't afraid to sing whatever is playing on the radio and living in a small town that allowed me to be a part of a chorale program all throughout high school. My little brother also got me hooked up with a Voice coach for my senior year when I wasn't in the choir who worked with me (full of grace for a punk who didn't take it as seriously as he should have). And then now, being a part of a student ministry that encourages service and student involvement in every aspect of the services and events He has blessed me with The Rock and its worship team.
Talent- Reading music wasn't really a strong suit for me but feeling out melodies, hearing harmonies, and carrying a tune for me was nearly instinctual. I'll never claim to be a guitar player though.
Encouragement- I rag on my dad for being too easy on me and praising my efforts too easily but really his confidence in me, even when I was over critical of myself and my performance, was the uplift I needed when I wasn't yet secure in myself. Now some of my best friends are also some of my best encouragers. Joe Langworthy has been pushing me to give the worship team a shot for a couple years now and has always been there to help me out or give me a good word, critical when I need it but helpful always. I really just wanna sit here and give a shoutout to everybody but that'd get lengthy, I just want yall to know I don't take them as well as I'd want to but I really do appreciate whatever you guys say.
Great teammates- Some of my best friends share music with me. Some of my favorite memories are walking to and from my classes with my buddies and singing harmonies to whatever we were talking about, not even to mention being able to make up one half of a Coop section leader team with my best friend Jonathan. My little brother and I have led a few services at my home church and that kid has always made it super easy on me. He had to teach me the guitar part for every song we played on Sunday's because I was just stoked to share the words and melody. He did it patiently (most times) and totally confident in the Lord that whatever happened we would be raising a joyful noise that our heavenly Father would delight in. (ur a studmuffin Gabey). The band I get to play with now (what are we? Band 2? The other band? Whatever. ["Naming your band is the last thing you need to do"-Joe Langworthy]) is full of great teammates. These people are talented. Wow. I get so stoked worshiping with them that often times I lose myself and don't even think to play my guitar (yeaaa thats why I get lost as often as I do). But for real I love being part of a team like that
I didn't mean to be as conveniently transitional. Look at me.
I'm gonna scribe out some more about my third love in life (If singing was Numero uno and Daphne Blake is number 2)
-Basketball-
The prettiest, most fun, technical, talent filled, and perfect game this life has to offer. Its all about that orange ball.
Fun story. If it hadn't had been for Jared Patterson asking me in 4th grade (and I really have no clue why) if I wanted to be on their travelling team..
I might have never picked up a ball.
I might have never found my place in my small town
I might have never become friends with the guys
I might have been an ungraceful oaf forever
I might have taken high school even less seriously
I might not have any idea what it means to be a part of a team
I might not know how to relate to athletes
I might not have an idea of the kind of coach I want to be and what kinds of good (and harm) I could do
But he did.
I'm a guy who loves competition, might love it more than I really should. But basketball was an interesting challenge for me.
I was bad. Weird.
I rode the bench most of my awkward preteen/not showering/not getting it phase. I was hungry for minutes but also not much more than a warm lanky body out on the floor so I got to sit and watch for a good bit of my career but that let my brain soak the instruction and make up of the game. I couldn't just use my brain to make myself a better shooter or higher flyer but I could process instruction and tactics. So I learned. Ended up taking something from every coach I've ever had be it coaching style (during games, practice, prep, offseason)
I'm not gonna talk the glory days but more of why I want it to be a part of my life in my career.
Only recently have I realized how big of a deal coaching is.
Coaches are parents. Coaches are older brothers. Coaches have more impact than a lot of people might think.
Honest throughout high school between school, social life, girls, eating, and basketball my coaches were who I spent the most hours being influenced by. I yearned for their approval more than anything. I was as good as my coach thought I was. I was worth the amount of minutes I got on the floor.
Coach was my male role model
I got out with daddy issues out the wazz for it
Highschool is weird.
Guys are weird.
Where do I fit? Where am I comfortable? Where am I accepted? Where is home?
I think these questions get answered with sports all the time. ALL THE TIME.
Thats what I did. I wanted to be a basketball player. I put my worth in basketball.
Are you gettin me?
Coaches get to facilitate that to a good extent.
"Steven why would you wanna do that? Sounds tricky. Sounds rife with opportunities to hurt young men"
Its so I can get the keys to a basketball gym.
But for real. I wanna do it right. I want to be a positive male influence for guys going through some of the weirdest/hardest years of their lives. I want to love the guys I coach. I want to coach them on how to play basketball. I want to be able to watch insecure boys grow into confident young men, give them an escape because the sound of a swish from a 15 footer makes their mind refresh. I want them to get lost in something they love. I want to help them with teamwork, selflessness, encouragement, teaching, respect.
Even, as hard as it might be to do, be the coach that in some way helped a guy fall in love with Christ Jesus.
I just feel like I was made to coach. I think I fell in love with the orange ball because it would help me love others.
And maybe even coach a team to win the Class 4 basketball championship in Missouri.
There. Done. Exhausted. Nap time.
Thanks for reading. I'd love to talk more about any of this stuff. If its basketball I'm always thinking about it and if its music I always have a song in my head. I'm also a much better talker than writer.
Till next time!
