Spiderman Socks

Coaching is a funny thing.

Monday night I had the opportunity to watch one of the best high school games I have ever seen. It was phenomenal…. The #3 and the #5 teams meeting in the third round of playoffs! They school where they played was way too small and the stands were flooded with people. Everyone packed in like sardines, because there was no way anyone was missing this match. My [former] girls worked their tails off and they won in 5 games! Not only did they win in 5… they won the 5^th set 15:4… and sent the 2 time defending state champions packing! It was glorious.

This leads me to my own coaching superstitions. The way I start in the beginning is always different from the end.

I started with:

My rose gold Fossil watch, my black number, my sister painted clipboard, and touching their shoulder while they warm up.

I ended with:

My brown Michael Kors watch, a blue number 2 pencil, my sister painted clipboard set on a chair by me, touching their shoulder while they warm up, and my Spiderman socks.

My Spiderman socks became a hot commodity throughout the season (I might have talked about them in a game day note). The girls asked me every game, “Are you wearing your socks?” Every time I responded, “What do you think?” It’s such a mental game with all the 13 year olds. I am not above wearing Spiderman socks to give them the confidence to win.

And we won 3^rd place for the season in the tournament when we came in as the 4^th seed. Superstitions work.

Spidey sense, out.