A Slice Of Life

"One truth that dawns on you after years of coaching is that winning and losing aren't nearly as important to the players as they are to the coach. It's the coach's livelihood. If he doesn't win enough games, he'll be fired. The player wants to win, but it's not as important to him. He knows his life will go on, whether we win or lose. But, the interesting thing for me as I reflect on my career is the game that seemed all-important at the time is not really that important. I now have a better sense of values. When I started in the coaching profession, I'd walk the streets all night after a loss. I couldn't eat or sleep. As the years went by, I came to realize losing is as much a part of coaching as winning. The game is a slice of  life. There is good in every experience, if you learn from it. There were more wins than losses in my career, but you don't measure even a basketball coach's life that way. The good Lord blessed me with more laugh than heartaches, more cheers than boos, a legion of friends, and memories that will entertain me as long as my mind can rerun them." - Ray Meyer