http://alanseideman.com/blog/2008/03/21/coaching-inner-city-basketball-part-1/ Pictures, Words and Sounds Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:32:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 http://alanseideman.com/blog/2008/03/21/coaching-inner-city-basketball-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-188 Lisa Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:22:34 +0000 http://alanseideman.com/2008/03/21/coaching-inner-city-basketball-part-1/#comment-188 Great blog entry! I just started coaching an inner city cheerleading team. We compete locally, regionally, and nationally. I too have been extremely frustrated with the absences, the lateness, and the seeming lack of interest in being there. We just had our holiday party, and I was missing 9 of my 24 high school aged kids. Reading your blog was somewhat refreshing. Coach Mario is absolutely right. It's a different world that these kids live in. I simply cannot believe some of the things that I've seen. 12 year olds taking the bus by themselves, parents who send their 10 year olds alone in a TAXI, kids who haven't been fed all day, kids who are responsible for working and paying for their own equipment, 14 year olds with pregnant friends, alcoholic parents, drug dealing brothers, fathers not around, kids being raised by grandparents who speak no english, etc. It's a world that your typical suburbanite (i.e. myself) can try to understand, but never really will. Great blog entry! I just started coaching an inner city cheerleading team. We compete locally, regionally, and nationally. I too have been extremely frustrated with the absences, the lateness, and the seeming lack of interest in being there. We just had our holiday party, and I was missing 9 of my 24 high school aged kids. Reading your blog was somewhat refreshing. Coach Mario is absolutely right. It’s a different world that these kids live in. I simply cannot believe some of the things that I’ve seen. 12 year olds taking the bus by themselves, parents who send their 10 year olds alone in a TAXI, kids who haven’t been fed all day, kids who are responsible for working and paying for their own equipment, 14 year olds with pregnant friends, alcoholic parents, drug dealing brothers, fathers not around, kids being raised by grandparents who speak no english, etc. It’s a world that your typical suburbanite (i.e. myself) can try to understand, but never really will.

]]> http://alanseideman.com/blog/2008/03/21/coaching-inner-city-basketball-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-172 Jackie Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:09:39 +0000 http://alanseideman.com/2008/03/21/coaching-inner-city-basketball-part-1/#comment-172 I coach freshmen girls basketball at an inner city school in Ohio. I also assist with Varsity and JV. I see everything you just said here in our teams as well. As a person who truly cares about and loves the game of basketball, its so hard to watch this happen. We just played a game tonight and got completely destroyed because only 3 people out of JV AND Varisty cared. They are so talented, but it means nothing without heart. I don't understand how you can play a sport and just not care about it sometimes. You can't teach players to care, can you? Because if there's a way, I would love to know it. Talent and time is being wasted with a lack of heart. I care about these girls and am lost on what to do. It was at least nice to know we're not the only team going through this. I coach freshmen girls basketball at an inner city school in Ohio. I also assist with Varsity and JV. I see everything you just said here in our teams as well. As a person who truly cares about and loves the game of basketball, its so hard to watch this happen. We just played a game tonight and got completely destroyed because only 3 people out of JV AND Varisty cared. They are so talented, but it means nothing without heart. I don’t understand how you can play a sport and just not care about it sometimes. You can’t teach players to care, can you? Because if there’s a way, I would love to know it. Talent and time is being wasted with a lack of heart. I care about these girls and am lost on what to do. It was at least nice to know we’re not the only team going through this.

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