When our sixth grade school soccer team lacked a coach for our wintry, Saturday morning games, that were played at Nipher Jr. High School against other area grade school teams, we did not despair. We coached ourselves. And we often won!
Our school, being the James Milton Turner Elementary School in Meacham Park, Missouri , was all-black, in 1963, save for an occasional white girl who would alight sometimes, from somewhere.
Whether by biased financing or other bottleneck, only our gym teacher, Mr. Williams, assisted us at all, as part of his normal duties. So. We dyed our own t-shirts green and gamely gathered to play soccer each, sometimes bitterly-cold, Saturday without a coach. We simply told the officials that we had no coach. And we played!
Once play began, our speed and dexterity stood us well against the other boys' teams, until we met those with coaches and craftiness. Then we lost, our speed being used against us in repeated off-side violations.
But, looking back, I rejoice that we persevered through the palpable lack of coaching impediment to play anyway. We learned self-reliance and self-confidence as children.
Earlier, at the end of fourth grade, some of us had gathered during the summer at each other's homes to pursue lesson plans that had been specially prepared for us by Mrs. Bernadine Smith Davis, our outstanding fourth grade teacher. She had been brought in to deal with our bright precocity squarely.
And did she ever! I got a whipping on the very first day! But had no problems the rest of the way! Like our gym teacher, Mr. Frank Williams, she was not permitted to help us over the summer or even to even attend. But, we diligently obeyed her regime at each weekly meeting and were beneficiaries for life of her love and her care for us.
The point of this is to say that kids can do well when left to themselves with guidance from adults, whatever the obstacles may be. Their common endeavors and the collateral successes will stay with them and bless them for the rest of their natural lives.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
NO COACH NO PROBLEM
NO COACH NO PROBLEM
When our sixth grade school soccer team lacked a coach for our wintry, Saturday morning games, that were played at Nipher Jr. High School against other area grade school teams, we did not despair. We coached ourselves. And we often won!
Our school, being the James Milton Turner Elementary School in Meacham Park, Missouri , was all-black, in 1963, save for an occasional white girl who would alight sometimes, from somewhere.
Whether by biased financing or other bottleneck, only our gym teacher, Mr. Williams, assisted us at all, as part of his normal duties. So. We dyed our own t-shirts green and gamely gathered to play soccer each, sometimes bitterly-cold, Saturday without a coach. We simply told the officials that we had no coach. And we played!
Once play began, our speed and dexterity stood us well against the other boys' teams, until we met those with coaches and craftiness. Then we lost, our speed being used against us in repeated off-side violations.
But, looking back, I rejoice that we persevered through the palpable lack of coaching impediment to play anyway. We learned self-reliance and self-confidence as children.
Earlier, at the end of fourth grade, some of us had gathered during the summer at each other's homes to pursue lesson plans that had been specially prepared for us by Mrs. Bernadine Smith Davis, our outstanding fourth grade teacher. She had been brought in to deal with our bright precocity squarely.
And did she ever! I got a whipping on the very first day! But had no problems the rest of the way! Like our gym teacher, Mr. Frank Williams, she was not permitted to help us over the summer or even to even attend. But, we diligently obeyed her regime at each weekly meeting and were beneficiaries for life of her love and her care for us.
The point of this is to say that kids can do well when left to themselves with guidance from adults, whatever the obstacles may be. Their common endeavors and the collateral successes will stay with them and bless them for the rest of their natural lives.
When our sixth grade school soccer team lacked a coach for our wintry, Saturday morning games, that were played at Nipher Jr. High School against other area grade school teams, we did not despair. We coached ourselves. And we often won!
Our school, being the James Milton Turner Elementary School in Meacham Park, Missouri , was all-black, in 1963, save for an occasional white girl who would alight sometimes, from somewhere.
Whether by biased financing or other bottleneck, only our gym teacher, Mr. Williams, assisted us at all, as part of his normal duties. So. We dyed our own t-shirts green and gamely gathered to play soccer each, sometimes bitterly-cold, Saturday without a coach. We simply told the officials that we had no coach. And we played!
Once play began, our speed and dexterity stood us well against the other boys' teams, until we met those with coaches and craftiness. Then we lost, our speed being used against us in repeated off-side violations.
But, looking back, I rejoice that we persevered through the palpable lack of coaching impediment to play anyway. We learned self-reliance and self-confidence as children.
Earlier, at the end of fourth grade, some of us had gathered during the summer at each other's homes to pursue lesson plans that had been specially prepared for us by Mrs. Bernadine Smith Davis, our outstanding fourth grade teacher. She had been brought in to deal with our bright precocity squarely.
And did she ever! I got a whipping on the very first day! But had no problems the rest of the way! Like our gym teacher, Mr. Frank Williams, she was not permitted to help us over the summer or even to even attend. But, we diligently obeyed her regime at each weekly meeting and were beneficiaries for life of her love and her care for us.
The point of this is to say that kids can do well when left to themselves with guidance from adults, whatever the obstacles may be. Their common endeavors and the collateral successes will stay with them and bless them for the rest of their natural lives.
