This past Saturday, J and Coach C spent a few hours doing some hard core training. Afterwards, Coach C brought J home and stayed for dinner. During dessert, we were reminiscing a bit about TP's trip to Auburn University last summer and how a moment during that trip became the defining moment of when our friendship really began. That moment came when hubby decided it would be fun to spill the beans to Coach C regarding A's then newly formed crush on him. He did this by knocking on Coach C's hotel room door and proceeding to ask him if his intentions were honorable. Coach C was understandably a bit puzzled, and stated that he always had honorable intentions. That's when hubby dropped the bomb(with a perfectly sober face) and said he was glad to hear that seeing as how Coach C and A were getting married and having a hot tub honeymoon. (That last part was a quote from A, who has a fondness for lounging in hot tubs.) Now, I was not in the room for this conversation, but both hubby and Coach C have described his reaction in great detail. Apparently Coach C turned about as red as a TP jersey and started stammering and stuttering until hubby took pity on him and reassured him he was just messing with him. After that, there were really only two choices. We all would become great friends or Coach C needed to run like hell as fast as he could away from our craziness. Happily, he stuck around and we've nurtured a friendship that has become quite special to all of us. I know others may look at us and think the friendship is a bit unorthodox. I imagine most people don't get as close to their kid's coach, especially one as young as Coach C. It definitely started on the field, with Coach C and J forming a coach and player bond that is special all on its own. Readers of this blog know where that bond has led. Coach C continues to train and mentor J not only in baseball, but in life. J values his opinion highly, and looks up to him, like an older brother of sorts. As the oldest, J has plenty of experience being the big brother, so I think it's been nice for him to have someone fill that role for him. He is close to my brother, but he's 16 years older than J, whereas Coach C is only 3 1/2 years older. So it's a different dynamic. The rest of us love and value Coach C's friendship very much as well. A of course continues to crush on him, still has plans to marry him, and gives any girl she thinks is getting too close the evil eye. He, as always, indulges her, treats her like a little queen, and in general, spoils her rotten. I imagine as she gets older her crush, which is really a huge case of hero worship, will turn more into viewing him as an extra big brother, who will always hold a special place in her heart. Coach C gets a kick out of N and his uniquely quirky personality. The two of them spend time playing chess or video games and N usually has Coach C shaking his head or laughing at something he says or does. Hubby loves nothing better than giving Coach C a hard time about everything from work, (Coach C works part time at hubby's store) to his future nuptials with A. Coach C gives back as good as he gets, impressing hubby with his quick wit and refusal to let hubby gain the upper hand in their verbal duels. As for me, I simply love Coach C like one of my own kids. He won my heart early on, when he saw something in J on the baseball field that others had failed to see. Since then, he's continued to work tirelessly with J, he's good to my other kids, and is always appreciative of my work for the team. After our stay in Jupiter, during which he spent a lot of time with us, eating meals and just hanging out, he sent me the sweetest message about how much he loves and appreciates our friendship. It made me cry, and realize how very much I, too, love and value our friendship. The TP season is coming to an end and I'm not sure what next summer holds for J. He'll be too old to play on the current TP team, which means he can't play for Coach C. However, many of the parents and the other coaches are trying to convince Coach C it would be a great idea for him to move up with the current group of boys. I don't know how that all will turn out in the long run, but whatever happens, I know our friendship with Coach C will remain strong. None of us could have foreseen on that sunny April day when J tried out for Coach C that the six of us would forge such a special bond. This friendship may have gotten it's start on a baseball diamond, but it's roots run strong and true.
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