Coaches can teach their kids and vice-versa
It was 1977. I had just been assigned to my first head basketball coaching job at my alma mater — Capitol Hill High School. October preseason practices were concluded and November preseason scrimmages were upon us.
I was highly motivated to coach my own team. I was fresh off of attending coaching clinics and hearing such greats as Henry Iba, Bob Knight and John Wooden. I decided to call the legendary Leroy Estes from Yukon High School to see if he would be interested in a scrimmage. Leroy had an excellent squad and they handled us with ease.
Leroy put us in one of his basketball locker rooms and evidently one of his players did not lock his locker. The next day Leroy called me and informed me that one of his players was missing his tennis shoes. He described the shoes to me. Leather Converse All Stars, white with indented red stars. I told Leroy that I would keep an eye out.
The next day during a passing period at school, one of my sophomore players came strolling down the hall, sporting the shoes that were taken the previous day. After classes and practices, I loaded Jones up and headed for Yukon with the shoes. (The story is true, but I have made up a fictional name for the kid.) Jones returned the shoes to Leroy with tears streaming down his face and assured him that he would never do anything like this again.
Fast forward to a number of years later and I was teaching math and coaching basketball at Del City High School. One of my female students had missed class the previous day and explained to me that she had a doctor's appointment. I thanked her for keeping me informed.
Then she said, “By the way, Dr. Jones said to tell you hi!”
I said, “Dr. Jones?” She then said, “Yes, he said he played basketball for you as a sophomore at CHHS in 1977.”
It did me good to know that Jones had turned out so well. This is why I love sports. They teach all people life lessons (including me).
Allen W. Dukes