Remember, theyre amateurs

Winning a competition, particularly a sports event like basketball, is the sweetest

reward that a team has ever achieved. Losing is a different story. Therefore, the team
has to exert all energy, agility, skills and tactics for it to win and of course, make it to the
finals and grab the most-coveted championship title.
I have been coaching the schools basketball team for three years now. Although
our school is just a typical public secondary school in the town of Bolinao, Pangasinan, I
can say that this story has a lot to share especially to all the athletes and coaches out
there, no matter what sports event it is. For three consecutive years, making it to the
finals was our sweeter victory. Why sweeter? It must have been the sweetest if we were
able to grab the title and make it to the higher athletic meet like Municipal Athletic Meet
up to the elusive National Level of sports competition. However, in our recent game in
the Upland Zone Athletic Meet, elimination round and during the fourth and final quarter,
my team was ahead nine points in the last four minutes. I told the players to be in
composure and not to hurry because even though the lead was ours, the time wasnt on
our side. Unfortunately, the opponent team made two triples in a row and cut the lead to
three. It rattled my players that resulted to a broken play every time the ball is on their
possession. To cut the story short, we lost by two points.
I might say that luck was not on our side, or shall I say, the teams lapses were
the biggest rival through the years every time it competes in the lower athletic meet. It
was not because we lack skilled and agile players. I might also consider lack of selfdiscipline as the culprit of our loss, but I realized it was my fault because of my
inexperienced in coaching the game that I actually play but not entirely my passion. I do
play basketball, I know the rules too, but when it comes to employing offensive and
defensive plays, I really cant do it very well.
The recent game made me nostalgic of last years finals as we were heading to
the last two minutes of the game, the advantage was ours, 45-39. Consequently, one of
my key players was fouled out of the game at made the players lost composure. Ergo,
we lost in the championship match.
Going back to the present scene, at first I was blaming the players for not
following and using the game tactics that we had practiced. After the game, I nagged at
my players and when I was about to scream the ill word, I was able to hold my temper
and eventually my assistant coach reminded me, You cant blame the players. There is
no one to blame. Theyre amateurs.
It was like the ball was dunked on my face. He was right. I shouldnt have blamed
the players because of losing the game. Theyre just high school students and amateurs
and imposing self-discipline to them was not easy. Before developing the players agility
and honing their dribbling, shooting and passing skills, self- discipline and true
sportsmanship must be taught first and inculcate to them that teamwork is the best
tactic to win the game. Its also important to make each player know that basketball is
not a one man game but everyones game, whether one is a reserved player or a star
player.
My self-realization was more triggered when one of my players, when we were
about to leave the venue of the game, declared humbly, Sir, sorry po sa pagkakamali

namin. (Sir, were sorry for our faults). I sighed and answered, its all right. You did play
very well. Next year its our turn. The players affirmed my statement.
As their coach, I found it difficult to accept our loss but I learned another lesson
from it and that is, blaming anyone is never and must never be part of the game. Losing
is always a part of any competition unless the rules state that a tie may happen anytime
and if a team lost the game, getting over is the next offensive play that it must work on.