In Honor of our 20th win this year...

So today...we won our 20th game of the year.  That's a good achievement given a couple of big things:
1 - We have eight freshmen and only three returners this year.
2 - I jacked up the schedule toughness to heights only Kevin Hambly or Karch Kiraly would appreciate.  Really.

And still, twenty wins--only ranked team with more than 12 losses...you KNOW it's a tough schedule when that's the case.  But that's not completely the point.

Here for posterity--my years as a head coach (and since I'm procrastinating from working on my next novel anyways...)

2013: 33-8  ...the 'heart attack' season.  Missed a month, and that was enough for individualism to replace the team.  A lot of complaints about who was getting set, who was doing the setting (an all-American, btw)...cost us a chance at Nationals and likely the Elite Eight.

2012: 33-9 ...The only LLCC team to date to go to Nationals, a lot of credit to the sophomores for stable leadership.  It's the season the ceiling fell on Hollie.

2011: 34-13 ...the 'injury season'.  We had only four people (of 14) healthy come the post-season. Of course, a couple were faking injuries (really) to get out of practice.  Another shot at Nationals lost to selfishness, but this was the year I did my best tactical coaching--we had matches with no healthy OH, a stretch of 10 matches with NO middles, and had a match where our all-American libero had to be a hitter.  I would've been happy with 20-22 wins...instead, disappointed falling a couple points short of Nationals.

2010: 34-11 ...another great season, featuring LLCC's first all-American selection.  Lost in Gm 5 of the Region championship to go to Nationals on a freeball that hit the net and dropped over, lost 13-15.  I think that loss hurts more than any other in my nine years at LLCC.  Laura, my current assistant, still can point out (like me) where the ball landed on Lincoln College's court.  Dammit.

2009: 34-12 ...Too much tension between sophomores and freshmen, a great hitter lazier than most.  I remember this year though as the year Caitlyn worked to balance being a mom, a student, and a volleyball player--a real struggle that she succeeded at (now has her BSN, two babies, and a great husband)

2008: 33-14  ...The year Jesse Blazek helped.   The only thing I really remember from this season is that it was the year Lauren Mason hit .300--first hitter to ever do so at LLCC.

2007: 38-14 ...ended with a loss to SWIC in SWIC's last year of greatness.  Awesome group of sophomores--my first recruits to LLCC.  This was the last year of playing to thirty points.  SWIC was better, but I remember the very last point, all six players on the court in pursuit--would've had it, but it hit off a ceiling beam and bounced where would've been better off not pursuing.  Every kid left it all on the court.  I loved that.

2006: 29-21 ...first year at LLCC, always interesting to make a transition between coaches.  I was better prepared than at Allen.  The previous LLCC coach left a nice list of evaluations and things to do.  That helped, even though I didn't follow many of her recommendations.

2005: 18-22 ...the second year at Allen.  I loved the team, and I still am sad I had to leave ACCC, but it was family--and when Julie (my wife) wasn't permitted to apply for a job there in administration because we are married--it meant finding a job back home.  We were able in the postseason to take a game from Johnson County though--only team to do that (even if they then stomped us the next three...)

2004: 16-24 ...I took over ACCC two weeks into the season after a coach left without notice, emptying the program computer, leaving NOTHING, not even a list of state volleyball coaches.  The worst was his promise to the returning players that they'd go to nationals.  I've never been so thankful to have a season over.

2003: 20-12 ...the final year at Satan's School, the decision year, given a choice of playing a 6'2 kid or a 5'5 kid.  Played the better kid (6'2) and was fired for it.  It's also the year we lost a regional title because the cheerleading coach called a mandatory practice the day of the title game and our best player busted her ankle....but you know how it is, that cheerleading competition six weeks later was vital.

2002: 18-16  ...rough year with only two seniors, after the third was dismissed.  It has to be hard to follow two great groups that dominated playing time, and sometimes people aren't meant to be leaders.  Odd year..18-16, but we beat Normal U High and won the conference to boot.

2001: 30-6 ...The IHSA sent Mater Dei over to Casey-Westfield past a couple other sectionals/super-sectionals to take out a private school.  We scored 10 on them...best a team did in the post-season.  I remember this for my 'fight' with Jody at the Michigan summer tournament and her yelling at the basketball team for jacking around while we practiced for the Sectional title game.

2000: 33-4  ...Bobbi F-ing Mattingly officiating.  Best team in the history of Satan's School, and I've never coached a team with better work ethic.  Ever.  Not at ACCC, not at LLCC.  The only one I can think that worked harder was MAYBE the 94 Ohio State team.

1999: 24-7 ...the year of the great senior teammates--they understood the juniors were better, ditto the sophomores, but they worked hard, played hard, and contributed.  That was great leadership, and it led to a very successful season.  Without those seniors, the 00 and 01 seasons never take place.

1998: 18-12 ...dysfunctional JV coach and a couple crappy seniors--actually, amazing we won 18.  But philosophically, would the following group of seniors have been as good without going through THIS season?  I don't think so.  It wasn't a fun season, that's for sure.

1997: 13-16  ...A season with limited senior leadership.  It was a group caught following the previous class who had started four years, been the group of 'destiny'.  Writing this, reflecting on things, this has happened several times to teams I've coached.  Maybe I need to consider that more often after seasons are complete.

1996: 26-5  ...First year as a coach.  It was a great season, though I would've handled a ton of things differently now...of course that's 18 years of experience under my belt to learn from.  I got a few things right, but messed up far more--even if no one would ever realize that accept another coach.