Fifteen-Year Reunion

"Summertime, oh summertime, pattern of life indelible, the fade proof lake, the woods unshatterable..." - E.B. White

Had I not known any better I would have thought it was 1995 and we were sitting in the Fire House restaurant enjoying our post championship dinner. The conversations, laughs, smiles and sarcasm were all the same.
However, this time I wasn’t the one chasing my young children around the gym. I wasn’t the one losing the glove battle because my daughter didn’t want to be bundled up. No, on this night some of my former players were tending to their families. Others were tending to memories and catching up on the years passed.
February 12 was a great night as seven players from the district championship team made it to the game and were recognized for an accomplishment that happened fifteen years ago. I loved the night not because, like all of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s characters, I’m stuck in the past. No, unlike Jay Gatsby, I don’t believe you “can repeat the past.” We did relive old stories and I heard some new, old stories as well. I loved the night because it took me to the present. I got to see how these eighteen year-olds have grown up. I met their wives and children and talked with many of their parents as well. That was the best part of the evening. These young men have grown up and it was great to see where they are today.
Reliving the moments from fifteen years ago was fun. There were plenty of snickers from the crowd as they saw the game highlights at halftime. Shorts were shorter then and I guess that’s funny. The genuine applause this team received was nice also.
Fifteen years ago I was 31. Today my former players are nearly the same age I was when we won the district title. Now that’s an odd feeling.
Several times during the night I looked at the table and saw my former players talking, laughing and listening. What a blessing these young men have been to each other, to me and to my family. On this night we reveled in stories from the past and were thankful for friendships alive in the present.


Here are some video highlights from the Mt. Clemens' game and the final game against Clintondale.