Anything For The Team

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate May 2001

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Anything for the Team My boyfriend is on the basketball team, and I think that is great. He is a good player, and he takes the team very seriously. However, his coach expects his players to make the team the most important thing in their life, and that is just not fair. He even has training rules about girlfriends. For instance, a player who is already dating someone before the season is allowed to keep his girlfriend, but a player who starts a new relationship mid-season is bumped down to the Junior Varsity team.

Mr. Haab told Keith that he could become a co-captain of the team if he could go one week without hanging all over me during school. Now, I am aware that public displays of affection are not allowed in school, so I can understand his asking Keith to tone it down. But my problem is this: what does a girlfriend have to do with a basketball team? Keith has told me several times that he plays better in home games for the simple reason that he is usually with me, at my home, right up until he has to go play.

When he plays away games, he says he misses me so much that it is often hard to concentrate on the game. I am sure that Mr. Haab would be none too pleased if he knew that Keith felt this way.

I am perfectly willing to keep my hands off Keith "“ at least in public "“ for the sake of the team. However, I do not understand what that has to do with Keith's abilities. It seems like Mr. Haab is making him choose between me and the team. If asked to make that choice, Keith says he would choose me, hands down. If Keith told Mr. Haab now how he feels he would probably be forced to play JV.

There is not one player on our basketball team, except for maybe Andrew Kulawinski, who is good enough to play college ball. High school basketball is merely a recreational sport, and should not be taken too seriously. Mr. Haab acts like basketball is the be-all, end-all of the world.

I am sure that if there were no basketball anymore, Mr. Haab would have a nervous breakdown. I believe that he needs some other aspects of his life besides basketball. Players who take his classes are treated far better than those who do not, even if they are girls who cannot play boy's basketball.

There should be some form of counseling for coaches who go overboard. I actually pity Kent Haab, and I hope that he finds structure in his life other than high school basketball. If not, what is he going to do when he finally realizes his insignificance?