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A Coach For a Few Years But A Dad Forever
Mike Ramsey finds it challenging to sit quietly in the bleachers and watch his fourteen-year-old daughter Amanda play basketball for the Metea High School team. After years of coaching her on basketball, soccer and softball teams, it is hard to keep from shouting out instructions. The Naperville dad has been the coach on the field for his two daughters for 23 seasons of soccer, 12 seasons of softball and eight seasons of basketball. His youngest daughter Sara is in fourth grade which means he has about four more years of coaching left. "I don't know what I will do with my time when they are too old to coach," he says.
Coaching has been "a lot of fun," notes Mike. He grew up playing on boys' teams and coached boys in college so coaching girls has been a change for him. "Girls are fun to coach. Boys can be too competitive and think they know the best way to do everything. Girls also want to win but they listen and try things easier than boys," he observes.
He enjoyed coaching Amanda's team that won 48 games in a row but found it challenging to coach Sara's team that didn't win a single game for two entire seasons. "I tried everything but nothing worked. Then they began to catch on. The last three seasons have been winning seasons. I think seeing them go from losing to winning has given me the greatest joy," says Mike.
Mike feels that team sports are a great childhood experience. "It builds camaraderie, work ethic, self-esteem. When I see the look on a girl's face after she scores a goal, it is so great. I have seen girls who are shy turn into totally different, more confident people on the playing field."
Gina Drugas is a parent of a child who plays on one of Mike's teams and says "he is great with the girls. He is a kind, wonderful man who loves to coach. He always gives it his all."
Mike is amazed at the great kids who are on his teams. "I am most proud of the girls' sportsmanship. They are playing to win but they also are very concerned about not hurting the other team," he notes. "That is a great skill for life as they learn to work with other people and also care for them." -Judy Buchenot

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