So it turns out that our plans went out the window pretty rapidly, as usual, this year.
Throughout the preseason, students slowly started dropping off the team, one by one. Absenteeism meant that we had to repeat lessons many times and our neatly laid out plans were soon left in shambles. By the start of 2010, we were back down to our minimum of eight students once again with one backup player who couldn’t attend practices because she recently started a new a job. We had barely covered the material we wanted to cover.
Although the team of eight was committed and determined, it was rare that the entire team was ever at practice together at the same time. Train delays, family obligations, sicknesses, and a host of other problems prevented the the team from having a practice where the all the players were in attendance until a few days before the first competition. Often times, students would not call to say they weren't coming to practice, which infuriated all the coaches. I had to constantly remind myself that even with all their real world experience and problems, the students are children. They are still learning what it means to be responsible.
The dwindling numbers and absenteeism sparked many conversations among the coaches about disbanding the team. We all had a lot on our plates, and we were unsure if the time would be worth it. We didn’t want another season of logging hundreds of combined hours to the program without seeing the students progress past round two.
It wasn't just the students though--the coaches also had a lot of problems getting to the practices. The demands of being an attorney at a top law firm are substantial. It requires long and unpredictable hours. This hindered all of the coaches’ abilities to come to practice on time (or at all). Personally, I also had a lot of trouble attending all of the practices. I was in the middle of making arrangements for my dad to move out of a nursing home and back into the community, so I had to do a lot of running back and forth between New York City and Hartford. Every Wednesday and Friday emails circulated between the coaches to piece together our schedules and to make sure at least one adult would be in the room at all times.
In this way, the students and coaches are similar. Both groups have chaotic and unpredictable lives. As much both sides would hate to admit it, I think this dynamic created some understanding between both sides about demands on time and the priority that Mock Trial plays in a student and coach’s life. It was a huge priority, but many things took precedence over practice.
Still, most students on the team had at least a year of experience to help them through the season. This experience would prove to be invaluable to them in first few months of 2011.
Still, most students on the team had at least a year of experience to help them through the season. This experience would prove to be invaluable to them in first few months of 2011.
This line, I think, is so touching, and brilliant: " I had to constantly remind myself that even with all their real world experience and problems, the students are children. They are still learning what it means to be responsible." You're so understanding to both see just how much kids from rough/difficult schools and background carry on their shoulders, often even more than most adults carry, but also allow for the fact that this doesn't necessarily mean the *are* adults. They can still play, and they'll be late...
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