Being a sports fan and having the ability to be patient often go together like oil and water, fire and gasoline, drinking and driving.
To be honest, the sports fan who is patient is rare. If you find one, take a long hard look at him or her because it might be some time before you find one again.
At Apalachee High School, Michael Parks knows about being patient. Parks is a coach, however, and probably can tell you how some fans at least aren’t into being patient. Yet school officials at AHS have shown that it pays to have patience in a coach and a program. The proof is showing itself in the Lady Wildcats 2009-2010 basketball season.
After last season, a e-mail made its way to my inbox (the anonymous kind sent by a coward who hides behind a computer screen), saying that he had it on good knowledge that Parks was “on his way out as coach.” I’ve learn to dread this type of e-mail because quite frankly many turn out to be true.
I contacted AHS principal David McGee, himself a former varsity girls basketball coach, and asked him about what I had heard. McGee said he had no plan to make any such change. I was relieved to hear that, told McGee so and we went about our business.
I wonder where that e-mailer is these days as the Lady Wildcats are making school history with each win. Parks and the AHS girls have already set a school record for number of victories in a season and will continue to break that record as the season progresses. Patience. It’s such a virtue that so few have, but so many need.
It’s great to see the hard work by Parks and his team paying off this season.
No coach works harder than Parks and no coach wants his team to succeed more. Oh, you will always have the clueless “Coaches in the Stands” who think a team should win every team it takes the field or steps on the court, but here in the land of reality we all know that is simply not the case.
Many times it requires small steps be taken on the path to success. That is the path the AHS Lady Wildcats are taking. With each win this season they are making history. With each win they are showing that patience can be a good virtue.
Don’t be surprised to see even more success from Parks and his team before this campaign is said and done.
And somehow I think, that e-mailer has long since left the building.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. E-mail comments about this column to cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
