Dear Prospective Iowa Lightning Player,
I am indeed honored to be asked to coach this fine ball club. I have truly missed coaching since I retired from the head coaching spot here at Central College. I’ve missed the excitement of the games, the thrill of victory, even the pain of losing, but most of all I have missed the contact that coaching affords between athlete and coach. It is a special relationship and until I stepped away didn’t realize the full extent of how important that was to me. So when Al Carlson approached me about it I accepted very quickly.
I would be lying if I said winning vs losing didn’t matter to me. I do intend to win. But losing is a necessary part of competition. There wouldn’t be competition if there were no losers. We are too engrossed in the win at times and the loser is seen as a lesser being. That is a fact I recognize as a “bad side” of competition. What is bad is how we treat the loser/winner. It’s the striving to win that matters – the outcome will be what it is.
I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach some outstanding women. But I was more fortunate to be able to interact with a multitude of wonderful people who played basketball at Central. The character and quality of those women is what I treasure as much as the trophies and championships displayed.
Coaching this team will be a delight. Not only will the players be skillful they will be committed and passionate about basketball. I think you will find that in me as well. However I’ve known coaches who were passionate but who couldn’t translate that passion to the players. Players need to enjoy their sport. There are many joys associated with basketball. The physical things you do ought to be a source of great joy. Basketball must be fun. My job will be to infuse that natural joy into good play and teamwork. I don’t anticipate that will be difficult at all.
Basketball is a team game. Championships are won with good players who play together. In as much as we will not be able to practice together as much as we would like it will be a priority to bring this group to a state of functioning unity. It should not be all that difficult since you already understand the value of teamwork and togetherness. We will simply have to make that happen as we play. You have to make that commitment as you prepare for this venture. This is not just about YOU. It’s about a group of young women playing together, having fun, and accomplishing team success. That certainly is one of the joys we can all experience. A “tight” group tends to have a lot of fun.
I hope and intend to get to a high school game to meet you and your parents and watch you do your thing. That will be a joy for me to get out in the basketball world again. I even miss that part of recruiting – talking to parents and players.
I see my job as helping you achieve, improve, and learn. I have a lot of years of experience with the game and working with women. I think I can “judge” talent and arrive at a plan to improve weaknesses. I think you will find me to be a “comfortable” coach who will work at relating and teaching. You will also find me passionate and intense at times. I promise to do my best to treat you with respect and act in ways that will not embarrass you or make you look bad. That has been a trademark of my coaching style. GO LIGHTNING!
Gary Boeyink