Basketball at Covenant Christian

Covenant Christian School needed a basketball coach for their middle school boys team. With so many of the boys having graduated last year we were left with a lot of young boys who really wanted to play but hadn't played much on an organized team. In fact, most of them never played on a team before.

Ben really wanted to play for the team and asked Clint if he would coach. Clint agreed to do it and asked John Michael to be his assistant. He wasn't sure how it was gonna go because of the lack of experience of the boys. On top of the inexperience, we only had 5th and 6th graders playing. The one 7th grader (in the black t-shirt) who wanted to play was still playing soccer in the beginning of the season and needed to finish out the soccer season before playing basketball. We needed him for his height. Our little 5th and 6th graders had no height at all. They're cute but not tall. :)

So Clint started practicing with the boys. By the first game most of them could dribble the ball while moving. :) It was going to be a long season. By the third game we were seeing improvement. By the end of the season it was really fun to watch them play. They knew their plays and actually were competitive. They knew that they weren't going to win any games, although they really wanted to and tried so hard, but they played their hearts out.

I am so impressed with how Clint coached these boys and how the boys responded to him, Coach Schwartz. Clint was very patient with them and did his best to teach them the game. The great thing is that all the boys were so teachable. They really wanted to learn the game and to be good at it. As a parent and someone who watched the progression of the team, it was a joy to watch this team grow together as players and as friends.

I have to tell you about our one girl player. She's wonderful. None of the other girls at school wanted to play basketball as a team. They only wanted to cheer but didn't have a coach. Edith (#6) loves to play basketball and asked if she could play with the boys. Clint agreed to let her practice with them and see how she does. The boys were all about having her play with them. She quickly became a starter and was strong in standing her ground against the boys on other teams. She's a good player with a lot of potential to become a great player. We are so proud of her.

I'm so proud of the way Clint and John Michael taught the boys the game of basketball. They both were so patient with them but at the same time were so diligent in pushing through the shortfalls. Each of the boys and Edith was so incredibly teachable and improved dramatically through the season. By the end they were a completely different team! There were less fouls, more points on the scoreboard and a lot more fun. They are already excited about next year's season and have decided that they want to practice everyday. They're so cute. :) Love these kids!

Clint and John Michael were the perfect coaching team for the boys and Edith!