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Sit-Rep No.30
"Fall down 7 Times .. Get up 8"
“Sit-Rep” .. No.30
“Fall down 7 Times…Get up 8”
That phrase was written on a card that was given to me by “Emily Hill”. She was a player I recruited to play for me at UNC Asheville. Now that I am working for NCSA and trying to help young high school athletes and their families navigate the recruiting landscape it seems ironic that Emily comes to mind.
I’m telling families that getting started early and developing relationships with college coaches can be beneficial when national signing day comes.
For me, as a college coach, the relationship with the players and families was the cornerstone in the entire process.
I have repeated Emily’s words to me many times since the days at UNCA. I have stumbled and fallen a number of times, but (quoting Lou Rawls)… I get up each time, brush myself off and get back in the race. … and so it is now.
After an outstanding trip to Germany (Berlin, Bonn, Quakenbrück, Fulda, Würzburg), and hanging out, closing restaurants and eating Spaghetti-Eis with so many former players who have become friends, I now see that I really have “been there, done that and got the T-Shirts” and .. I feel great because of I can literally see the fruits of my labor.
I will write more about that in the (soon to be written 🤦🏽♂️) Bucket-Trip Updates.
Since returning, I have had Lab Tests and Scans and VA Appointments with my Doctors as well as discussions with my Hospice Care Team.
I have “passed” on having a Bone Biopsy on my ribs. I have added two more medications 💊 to my collection and charted my course.
The new job has given me a much needed energy boost and (quoting Frankie Beverly and Maze) “Back in Stride Again”
Thanks Emily and that entire UNCA team especially Jess, Brew, Cary+Cathy, Vicki and Marion.
Next stop … The 11th ACR Reunion and Regimental Ball
😉You can stay up to date and get some insights about the “good old days” by going to www.ritzbball.net
👋🏽P.S. If you want the backstory to all of this…
‼️ Get yourself a copy of “It’s the Coach’s Fault”‼️
“It’s the Coach’s Fault” …
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👉🏽👉🏽 Purchase Direct from Coach Ingram
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👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽 From Publisher Hard Copy
‼️If you have, or know someone who has, a young student-athlete that needs help navigating the recruiting process, call me or drop me a line.‼️
Less is More
We didn't know what was on the other side .. We just made the best of what we had!
Sometimes “Less is More”!
I’m still asking the question.. Was “back in the day” better than today?
Growing up, I didn’t have any of the things that kids have today, and yet I think I had more than they have.
When I was a kid, social media was “The Philadelphia Inquirer” and the “Philadelphia Daily News”.
Social Media was Radio Stations “WDAS” and Georgie Woods on “WHAT”.
Getting your picture or name in the news was a really big deal.
It meant that you did something really good or something really bad.
Today your picture can be shown for the whole world to see, in seconds, just because someone “felt like posting it” and often the only reason for it is “because they can”.
🤔 That’s a topic for another day!
We’re still focusing on “better then or now.”
We didn’t have much, but we sure got a lot out of it… and it was fun.
Most of the time we didn’t even know we had nothing, unless someone told us.
I can remember … Pitching Pennies, Errors/Wall-Ball, Stick-Ball, Half-Ball, Hose-Ball, Touch Football, Flipping Baseball Cards … Baseball Cards in your Bicycle Spokes… playing in Fire Hydrants … all “street activities.”
Uptown Theatre (Capacity 2,500) seeing The Temptations, Miracles, Four Tops, Jackie Wilson and James Brown.
I remember Mann Rec Center, FlatIron AC Softball, Friday nights standing on the corner listening to the older boys singing Doo-Wops.
I remember taking my little ref wagon to the “Ice House on Glenwood Avenue” .. and playing on the railroad tracks, climbing in and out of boxcars and being chased by the “railroad men”…
I remember saving nickels to play the pinball machines at Mr. G’s corner store, hearing that “Pop, Pop,Pop” when you hit a game… and Mr. G yelling “Stop shaking the machine!”
Yeah, today’s kids have iPhones, iPads, PlayStations and Xboxes, but if you think they have more than we did… well…
I guess you had to be there!🤷🏽♂️
If you remember any of these things, leave a comment.
If you want to try and make a case, in favor of today, leave a comment.
I will say that, I wish that I had had a camera back then to take pictures, because there was so much that I would love to be able to show you!
👉🏽 Don’t forget “It’s the Coach’s Fault”
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Yesterday - Today - Tomorrow
"It wasn't always like this!"
Where are we headed....? I wrote this almost 10 years ago ....
It's beginning to feel like a self-fulfilling prophecy....
Yesterday….. Today ….. Tomorrow….!
Maybe I’m lost in my “Old-School” World … Maybe I’m just pessimistic.
Maybe I’m just looking around and writing about how it looks to me….
Yesterday….. You went to a Game and said… “Someday maybe I’ll be out there.”
Today …. You don’t go to the Game…. because… You’re not playing in it.
Tomorrow….?
Yesterday….. You watched good players and said … “If I work really hard, maybe I can be like him.”
Today …. You watch players and say… “I can do that…!”
Tomorrow….?
Yesterday….. You got a day off - and asked… “Hey Coach… Can I come in and get some extra work ….”
Today …. You get a day off - and say… “Great… that works… Now I don’t have to find an excuse for not coming.”
Tomorrow….?
Yesterday….. You worked hard in the off-season so you could be better and ready for next season.
Today …. You say …”It’s off-season… I’ll get ready for next season in the pre-season.”
Tomorrow….?
Yesterday….. You couldn’t wait for the first day of official practice and couldn’t wait to get started.
Today …. You say … “Man… I only have two or three more days of vacation left….”
Tomorrow….?
Yesterday….. You couldn’t wait to say that you were part of the team and you guys were going to have a great season, work together and for each other and really enjoy being part of something special.
Today …. You’re writing in your “Whatsapp-Group” … Can’t make it today… Somebody tell coach.
Tomorrow….?
Yesterday….. You couldn’t wait to get the Game Schedule and when it came…You immediately blocked off every Game Day … You didn’t want to miss a single one…
Today …. You look at the schedule and hope that the games don’t conflict with other things you “might” be able to do
Tomorrow….?
Yesterday….. Coaches came to practice motivated because their players were excited and enthusiastic
Today …. Coaches come to practice and hope that there will be enough players to have a good practice
Tomorrow…. The Coach will again ask himself why he continues to do it… But the answer won’t really matter because… That’s who he is, and he’ll continue, because he believes that there is maybe one player who is listening!
There is more in my book... ✍️
“It’s the Coach’s Fault”
👉🏽 https://ritzbball.net/bookshop
You might not agree with me, and maybe things weren’t better, “back in the day” … but they sure were different!
🤔 If you have any thoughts on it, feel free to leave a comment.
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