Missing Practices

I was pretty fired up about this yesterday, but by today I have calmed down. I am going to try to make it short and sweet.

Texting me the afternoon of a very difficult, but important practice, with a lame excuse of a runny nose, is not appropriate on this team. It does not sit well with me at all. I try to assume the best, but it is difficult to do. Missing practice for any reason at all is inappropriate in my book, but I understand my book is not the one everyone reads. However, since this is voluntary practice until next Tuesday, there is nothing I can do about it. (Except fume silently.) However, I expect zero complaining from athletes in May if they are not racing up to their standards. Every practice is important, missing even a few in February might result in sub-standard performances.

Once next Tuesday hits, though, the rules change slightly. In my humble opinion, missing practice for any reason does not cut it. If you are sick, show up and I will send you home. If you are injured, show up and help the team in another way. If you have a lot of homework, too bad. Manage your time better. If you have try-outs or practice for another sport, than you are telling me track is not important to you. If there is a ACT session, or something that is a one-time only occurrence, than the rules can be bent. But, that would be the coaches decision, not the athletes.

Consequences for unexcused absences are as follows: (In my mind the only real "excused" absence is one that comes with a doctor's note.) You don't race that week. If you are loaded down with homework and you need to skip the long run to get it done, then you should miss the meet too, and get ahead of your work. If have a runny nose and a scratchy throat on interval day, then rest up during the day of the meet as well. As a teacher, I have homework as well. I get sick as well. And I still will be at practice. Unexcused practice = no racing that weekend, no matter who you are, no matter what race it is.

This is why my consequences might seem harsh, and why I am still a little livid about this. I have planned every single work-out, from January to May, in order to get you as fast as possible for the Regional Championship. I have four disciplines I am accountable for, with about 50 kids under my watch. Every single work-out has a specific reason for being it is, for being as intense as it is, for being as long as it is, for being where it is. When kids miss a work-out for a negligible reason, and then expect me to adjust my schedule, (as well as the schedules of 49 other kids) that is simply unacceptable. I have too much on my plate to make up 50 individualized work-outs every day. It is impossible. I pride myself on coaching the hardest working team in the state. I will still work hard, I would only hope that the athletes will work hard as well. The system I have devised works, I simply will not change it all around for a few achy, sniffling athletes.

So, either trust me and my judgment, or not. Doing your own thing will simply result in you not racing. I have direct control over that. Following my direction will result in you racing very fast. I have control over that as well.