I used to think I had this pact with God and the weather because the entire time I spent at Rice we rarely had rain days. It rains in Houston quite frequently, but Monday through Friday between the hours of 3 and 6pm it NEVER rained...and this made practices for a bunch of black girls who were worried about their hair quite manageable. I can count the number of track meets that I ran in the rain (or sprinkles) on one hand, so the biggest foe I ever had to deal with living in the south was the humidity. Even when I moved up north, I prayed that it wouldn't snow until I left for Christmas break. I left December 12, and the first 12inch snow storm came December 13...now if that ain't the work of God I don't know what is. So needless to say I thought that me and God had this weather thing all figured out...
That is until I got to Nacogdoches. Since I've been here we've had weeks of rain in a row. I will always be dry (hence the rain boots, umbrella, rain pants, rain coat, and extra pair of socks in my office) but I often feel for my athletes because they are always drenched after practice. We finally got some nice weather days...and I'm talking 75 degrees and bright and sunny and practice was AWESOME. Then I wake up this morning and it is freaking 35 degrees outside...now I hate the rain, but when it's 70 and raining I can deal. 35...uh uh! I swear I often wonder how I made through the harsh winter.
So I've been doing some thinking today. I am now putting out a public service announcement to God to lets get back on the same page and get the weather back in order. I live in the south for goodness sake...we really should never get below the 50 degree barrier.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Defining moments...
So today in church we entered the 2nd part of a series entitled defining moments. I thought this would be a perfect topic to blog about so I figured I'd share some "defining moments" in my life.
**the moment I knew I wanted to coach
- All my life I wanted to be a doctor (and maybe someday I still will fulfill that dream lol), but once I got through my first year of college I started questioning if that was something I really wanted to do. I love helping people but being a doctor lacks the social interaction that I so highly crave and being a nurse just doesn't cut it, because I just want to be my own boss. So anyhow, I spent a year not knowing exactly how I would spend the rest of my life. The summer after my sophomore year a friend of mine asked me if I would help her coach a summer AAU basketball team back home. I said yes although I had a full time job in Houston and this would mean commuting once or twice a week back home (3hrs round trip) AND giving up my weekends, but my dad was having some medical complications so this was a good reason to visit more that normally. Well little did I know, I would fall in love with this "summer volunteer job." After our first tournament, I just knew that this is what I wanted to do full time. I felt so fulfilled that I could share my passion with others and see them succeed all at the same time. I started coaching basketball, but I have this long standing love affair with track. While basketball has my heart, track is something that I've done since I was 6 and was the one thing that gave me a chance at college athletics and brought many life lessons and successes along the way. So in a way I still get to help people (just not how I always dreamed in a medical setting), and although the paycheck is not even close to the same, the joy is more that I could have ever imagined.
**the moment I turned to my faith for true guidance
- I guess this could also be stated in me turning my life over to God, but I've been a Christian my whole life so I guess saying re-committed my life to Christ may be the correct statement. Last year was by far one of the hardest in my life. I have always had a super supportive family and friends that would kill for me, but somehow I still manage to feel alone from time to time. Well last year I hit an all time low. Some may say that I was just homesick, but I feel as though I am a strong individual and can stand on my own two feet most always. For the longest I just felt extremely depressed and it had a horrible effect on my relationship and my school work, and it seemed the only think that kept me going was coaching (which was only 2-3hrs out of my day). After a conversation with my mom, a light came on that I would not be able to make it through the hard times by myself. I turned to God, and began going back to church and praying more than ever. This summer he put an opportunity in front of me that has since changed my life dramatically. In doing so, while I am much happier, I also am faced with a bigger dilemma in my relationship. However, I am stronger in my faith than I have ever been so I know that he will make a way. I know that it may not be ideal or may not come exactly when I want it to, but his plan for my life is great, and that is something that I will never doubt. I grew up hearing to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. 23 years later I am living proof.
**the moment I knew he was my forever
- I cannot pin point the day. I fell in love early in the relationship but even then, I think I still did not know that he was THE one. Now 1 year, 8 months, and 15 days since we first met I am without a shadow of a doubt, absolutely 100% positive, that HE IS THE ONE. With him I have this constant feeling of amazing-ness...this overwhelming joy...this love that I cannot explain. I smile just thinking about it...and my heart smiles even brighter!
There are many moments that standout in my life, but those are a few that truly define who I am. These are moments that will live forever in my heart.
**the moment I knew I wanted to coach
- All my life I wanted to be a doctor (and maybe someday I still will fulfill that dream lol), but once I got through my first year of college I started questioning if that was something I really wanted to do. I love helping people but being a doctor lacks the social interaction that I so highly crave and being a nurse just doesn't cut it, because I just want to be my own boss. So anyhow, I spent a year not knowing exactly how I would spend the rest of my life. The summer after my sophomore year a friend of mine asked me if I would help her coach a summer AAU basketball team back home. I said yes although I had a full time job in Houston and this would mean commuting once or twice a week back home (3hrs round trip) AND giving up my weekends, but my dad was having some medical complications so this was a good reason to visit more that normally. Well little did I know, I would fall in love with this "summer volunteer job." After our first tournament, I just knew that this is what I wanted to do full time. I felt so fulfilled that I could share my passion with others and see them succeed all at the same time. I started coaching basketball, but I have this long standing love affair with track. While basketball has my heart, track is something that I've done since I was 6 and was the one thing that gave me a chance at college athletics and brought many life lessons and successes along the way. So in a way I still get to help people (just not how I always dreamed in a medical setting), and although the paycheck is not even close to the same, the joy is more that I could have ever imagined.
**the moment I turned to my faith for true guidance
- I guess this could also be stated in me turning my life over to God, but I've been a Christian my whole life so I guess saying re-committed my life to Christ may be the correct statement. Last year was by far one of the hardest in my life. I have always had a super supportive family and friends that would kill for me, but somehow I still manage to feel alone from time to time. Well last year I hit an all time low. Some may say that I was just homesick, but I feel as though I am a strong individual and can stand on my own two feet most always. For the longest I just felt extremely depressed and it had a horrible effect on my relationship and my school work, and it seemed the only think that kept me going was coaching (which was only 2-3hrs out of my day). After a conversation with my mom, a light came on that I would not be able to make it through the hard times by myself. I turned to God, and began going back to church and praying more than ever. This summer he put an opportunity in front of me that has since changed my life dramatically. In doing so, while I am much happier, I also am faced with a bigger dilemma in my relationship. However, I am stronger in my faith than I have ever been so I know that he will make a way. I know that it may not be ideal or may not come exactly when I want it to, but his plan for my life is great, and that is something that I will never doubt. I grew up hearing to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. 23 years later I am living proof.
**the moment I knew he was my forever
- I cannot pin point the day. I fell in love early in the relationship but even then, I think I still did not know that he was THE one. Now 1 year, 8 months, and 15 days since we first met I am without a shadow of a doubt, absolutely 100% positive, that HE IS THE ONE. With him I have this constant feeling of amazing-ness...this overwhelming joy...this love that I cannot explain. I smile just thinking about it...and my heart smiles even brighter!
There are many moments that standout in my life, but those are a few that truly define who I am. These are moments that will live forever in my heart.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
recruiting weekend!
So I am once again experiencing a first, although this is my SECOND year of coaching. I had my first official visit for an athlete I am personally recruiting come to town this weekend. Having just come off the flu, it was a bit more taxing and tiresome that I could have even imagined. I feel as though I will be recovering for at least a week. In 48hours, I walked, talked, and hopefully schmoozed my way to a possible signee in the near future. She was far more pleasant in person that she comes off on the phone and her parents were definitely ones that I would want to become a part of our program. They are supportive and are true track fans! In addition to her, I had an unofficial recruit come in who was a male athlete and I'm not sure if he spoke 20 words while he was here. I'm not quite sure how to take that, but his dad swears up and down that he really does like me, so I guess I'll just roll with that answer for now.
My most favorite part of the weekend was the food. If one this is true around here, it is we eat plenty...and we eat well. I'm pretty sure I put on a cool 2-3lbs, so I guess I need to get back to business in the workout department. My hiatus from physical activity because of the flu is officially over, so I need to get the breathing back in order and the legs to burning. I just refuse to not be able to do what I put my athletes through everyday...Can't let them have that one up on me just yet.
All in all it was a great weekend. I know this is the first of many, and the beginning of much success in the recruiting area of my career!
My most favorite part of the weekend was the food. If one this is true around here, it is we eat plenty...and we eat well. I'm pretty sure I put on a cool 2-3lbs, so I guess I need to get back to business in the workout department. My hiatus from physical activity because of the flu is officially over, so I need to get the breathing back in order and the legs to burning. I just refuse to not be able to do what I put my athletes through everyday...Can't let them have that one up on me just yet.
All in all it was a great weekend. I know this is the first of many, and the beginning of much success in the recruiting area of my career!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
boy i swear...
I am really getting bad at keeping up with this blog business...but one of my classmates mentioned this evening that she liked the things I had written thus far so I felt slightly inspired to make a post tonight. It's kind of nice to know that some people actually care what goes on in my life or my little ole' head.
Anywho...today was definitely an interesting day in practice. I had a free flow of words (and not so nice words I might add) on a couple of my guy athletes today. We've had some pretty good practices these past few weeks. One guy I'm pretty much developing from scratch and the other is a walk-on who I've come to love since he joined the team. To say that today they weren't "on" would be the understatement of the year. It was as if everything we've learned in the past 3 weeks just went out the window. I tried to hold my tongue, but my patience grew thin and out came not-so-nice-Coach Lacee'. I promise it was almost an instant change that they remembered all that we had worked on. I felt a bit out of character, because I refuse to believe my athletes are those headache kids who need to be cursed out on a daily basis. My athletes come with attitude don't get me wrong, but they do what I ask them to do and give 150% along the way. They want to succeed just as much as I want them to, and it makes practices so exciting. To see them accomplish something they spent all last season battling, or seeing that light bulb come on when the figure something out is what makes practices worthwhile. Today's afternoon session made up for my disappointing morning session 10-fold. And tomorrow I have my first official visit for a recruit. This should be an interesting weekend to say the least, but exciting for the most part. Being a coach...what can I say...I love it!
Anywho...today was definitely an interesting day in practice. I had a free flow of words (and not so nice words I might add) on a couple of my guy athletes today. We've had some pretty good practices these past few weeks. One guy I'm pretty much developing from scratch and the other is a walk-on who I've come to love since he joined the team. To say that today they weren't "on" would be the understatement of the year. It was as if everything we've learned in the past 3 weeks just went out the window. I tried to hold my tongue, but my patience grew thin and out came not-so-nice-Coach Lacee'. I promise it was almost an instant change that they remembered all that we had worked on. I felt a bit out of character, because I refuse to believe my athletes are those headache kids who need to be cursed out on a daily basis. My athletes come with attitude don't get me wrong, but they do what I ask them to do and give 150% along the way. They want to succeed just as much as I want them to, and it makes practices so exciting. To see them accomplish something they spent all last season battling, or seeing that light bulb come on when the figure something out is what makes practices worthwhile. Today's afternoon session made up for my disappointing morning session 10-fold. And tomorrow I have my first official visit for a recruit. This should be an interesting weekend to say the least, but exciting for the most part. Being a coach...what can I say...I love it!
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