Dear Bill,
As happens now and then, I stayed in the car in my driveway this morning to hear all of your essay on Never Playing a Friendly Game. Which is to say: great writing, yet again.
What do I remember my coaches saying?
Because there was no proper place for such a thing around the wide, Pennsylvania farmlands where I played little league, my coach replied: “What do you want to do–go in my pocket?”
In Lubbock, Texas, my basketball coach, when my dad inquired if I’d get any playing time, leaned down and offered, “DO YOU WANT TO COACH THE TEAM?”
Same city, a soccer coach introduced me to the word “dadgummit.” And then demonstrated its many forms and uses.
Another soccer coach reminded me often that we who were riding the bench were pretty much responsible for our teammates’ on-field gaffes.
Same city, my something-league baseball coach advised me to stop running under trees, even though I couldn’t see the Top Flites he was fungo-ing toward us with his seven iron.
Same again, a new hoop coach, when I flubbed another easy layup, would become a human calliope, piping a circus theme.
Finally, in high school, a wrestling coach, who liked to pit “heads against jocks” on the mat, picked me to ref a gym class soccer game. Afterward, he eased over and said, “Good work, Stevick. You should think about reffing.”
I took what I could get. It was a legit compliment, finally.
Thanks for your dadgum good essays at WBUR, Littlefield.
Mark Stevick
mws 