* Just like with all my stories, I take the time to build them. If you are looking for something quick, this isn't what you are looking for.*
"It looks like you got your hands full," I said to my cousin.
"Isn't that the truth," she said with a laugh. "I don't know what to do with them. I just can't get a handle on what I need to do."
"Your play from the post sucks," I said flatly. "Rebounding wasn't the best either. I'd start with that and go from there. You let them get way too many second chance points."
"You think that would help?" she asked.
"That and your free throw shooting was awful," I added. "They look like they are a good group of girls' Sam, they just need a focused direction."
"You think you could help me out?"
"Sam," I said. Gave her a knowing look, one of animosity as she returned one that was pleading.
"I know basketball isn't your thing anymore but I need some help. I got the dean and athletic director up my ass. The boosters aren't happy either. The team is under achieving."
"This is your second season as the varsity coach. What do they want, a state title out of you already? It takes time to build a system."
"People have their opinions and they carry a lot of weight," she sighed. "So, what do you think?"
"I don't know Sam," I said.
"Just for a week, help me out please."
"I will think about it," I said.
"We have practice at 4 every day except game days," she said. "I hope you will change your mind."
"Sure Sam, I will give it some thought."
"Thanks," she said. Gave me a hug before she disappeared into the locker room to talk with her team.
I started driving home. I had never been a coach before but that wasn't the issue. I had been around basketball my entire life. I started when I was three years old. Played on one of those plastic hoops meant for little kids. By the time I was five I was playing in the youth leagues and doing very well. By ten I was shooting hundreds of shots a day and only getting better.
I entered high school and took over the starting point guard position my freshman year. Each year we got further and further into the post season. My junior year we were the runner up at states and won it all my senior year. I was recruited by a few big name schools and choose Duke to play college ball.
I got some playing time my freshman year. Usually when we were blowing out the other team but it was playing time. I did get in here and there against quality opponents when we got into foul trouble. By the end of the season I was getting five minutes a game on average. My sophomore year I saw a lot more playing time. I didn't start but I shared the roll with the current guard who was a senior that year. I got 10 to 15 minutes a game and was well on my way to the starting spot for next season.
Then disaster struck. Playing summer ball I blew out my knee. Tore everything you could possibly tear inside my knee. Had it reconstructed but my recovery time was so drawn out I missed the whole next season. My knee just didn't heal right and they had to open me up and fix it again. The prognosis didn't look good for me and Duke decided it was in their best interests to pull my scholarship so it could be used elsewhere.
Luckily my parents had taken out an insurance policy on me so if something did happen I could have some funds to finish school. I transferred out of Duke and finished school closer to home. I got a degree in physical therapy. Ever since then I was mad at basketball. The one thing I loved had let me down. Stopped playing it all together and moved on with my life.
It consumed me when I played. I constantly watched film and studied my opponents. I almost knew them better than they knew themselves. I didn't know whether I wanted to revisit that part of my life. And I didn't know if I wanted to coach girls' basketball. Nothing against them, I just know how teenaged girls are.
I pulled into the garage and got out of the car. I glanced into the corner and there sat a brand new basketball to go along with the brand new hoop I had out in the driveway. Sam got it for me as a house warming gift when I moved in here about a year ago. It had sat unused since then. I grabbed the ball and bounced it. Still had life to it.
Dribbled out to the driveway and looked at the hoop. Took and shot and watched it fall right on through. Grabbed the ball and brought it back out. Took a jab step to fake my imaginary defender before driving to the hoop and making a shot over a fake seven foot guy. The knee still had that dull ache to it as the shot fell into the hoop like it used to when I played.
I found myself playing on the driveway for an hour before I realized how long I had been out there.
"What the hell," I said. "Not like I have anything else going on besides work and the occasional one night stand. May as well do something."
I got to the gym early the next day and started shooting free throws. I was about 100 or so in when Sam opened the door and walked in.
"I can't believe you came," she cheered. "Thank you so much." Came running and gave me a big hug.
"Just for a week Sam," I said firmly. "I'm just going to try it out and see if I like it. Don't get your hopes up for anything longer than that."
"I will take what I can get."
More of the girls started coming in now. They loosened up and started shooting around to get ready for practice. I started shooting around with them. They were checking me out and trying to figure out who I was and what I was doing in the gym during their time. No one said anything to me or asked any questions at first. Then the point guard, Mandy, broke the ice and introduced herself. We talked for a minute getting to know each other.
I challenged her to a one on one match. Nothing formal just a take your best run at me and let me see what you have. A couple of the other girls saw Mandy and took a run at me as well. I took mental notes on every ones skill set and what I thought they could use to improve. They looked unsure but their competitive side came out as they tried to beat me.
"Alright," Sam called. "Let's get started."
She looked at me. "How do you want to do this?"
"Do your thing and I will join in as I see fit."
She started them on a defensive, two on one drill that left me a little confused.
"What is this?" I asked.
"It's a drill," she said the obvious.
"I can see that Sam, but why?"
"Got to get them to hustle and get back," she said. "Why, should I be doing something else?"
"We always started with free throws and conditioning," I said. "It got us running and got us tired to start with. Then we always went to work drilling. This way we don't feel it so bad during the game. Free throws are just an added bonus. Quite frankly, they need to practice them. They were horrible."
She looked annoyed at me now. Folded her arms over her chest and gave me an awful look.
"What, you wanted me to help. This is what I would do. Then I would move to work on rebounding and posting up."
Her look never changed as she stared at me still.
"That girl," I said pointing at one of them, "has some size but hasn't a clue how to use it. That one and that one are great ball handlers and can shoot but you can't rely on them to carry the team."
"That girl you are referring to is Teagan," she snarled.
"Fine," I said annoyed at how this was going. "Teagan needs some work on her post play. She's tall but she needs to figure out how to use it."
I looked at Teagan as she stood waiting her turn to get into the drill. She looked like she needed to be a cheerleader instead of playing basketball. She had some height standing at 6 foot. She lacked size and skill though. She might be 135 pounds at the most. Brown hair and greens eye, perky B cup breast at best guess. Maybe a C, sports bra had then flattened out. Nice ass in her tight little shorts with tanned and toned legs. Yeah, cheerleader material. My dick twitched just a little at the thought of her in a little cheer outfit. Reminded me of a college girl I had dated.
She stood out though. Her athletic frame and flawless curves spoke to me. Had that quality I liked in a girl. Couldn't put my finger on it at this moment but she was attractive so say the least.
"That would be Teagan Tilly," Sam continued. The emphasis on Tilly.
I looked at Sam hard now. Wheels in my head turning at the name. Sounded so familiar to me. Then the light bulb came on in my head. "Thom Tilly's daughter?"
"The one and only," Sam snickered.
"Oh boy," I sighed.
Thom Tilly was an asshole by anyone's standards. But you can be an asshole if you have money. Thom owned the car dealership and repair shop in town. He also had money stuck in a few other things around town too. Chances were if you went to something locally owned, Thom had some kind of money invested into it. Everyone kissed his ass to try and get on his good side.
Thom also knew people too. Knew the city commissioners and higher ups that could make things happen. He also gave a sizable contribution to the school's athletic department. That meant with his daughter on the team, Sam needed to produce or step aside and let someone else give it a shot.
Thom and I were no strangers to each other. We had a run in about two years ago when I first moved here to take my job at the doctor's office. His wife had hurt her knee and needed some physical therapy to help the healing process. That meant she came in and saw me. She was flirty and things got a little too close for comfort. Nothing ever happened between his wife and me but it was right there. Would have been so easy to take advantage of it but I wasn't into the fifty something crowd even if she was still in fantastic shape for her age. Plus the fact that I was involved in a relationship at the time.
Thom, on the other hand, thought there was no doubt that I was screwing his wife. Came storming into the office one day and fired off all kinds of accusations. We had words and in the end we stayed clear of each other after that. My relationship with my girlfriend came to an end soon after when I found out she was messing around on me. She thought I was messing around on her so she wanted to get me back for something I never did. I wouldn't say Thom played a direct role in everything but I had that feeling.
