Boys to Men: A Coach's Job

LeBron James, the Fab-5 and Coach Dru

 First Penn State Football, now Syracuse Basketball is in the news with another scandal involving sexual molestation and our sons.  As the mother of an athlete who plays travel soccer and now AAU basketball, these stories trouble me deeply.  Coaches are an important figure in the lives of young males, even more so for males who do not have a father or strong male figure in the home.  So it was probably no accident that a mom from my son's soccer team recommended I check out the documentary More Than a Game.  This was a moving, edge-of-the-seat exciting documentary about the life of LeBron James and the formation of the "Fab-5," a loving moniker for he and his four best friends.  These young men grew up facing all kinds of adversity, but it was the game of basketball, more importantly, the coach that helped them find their way.  Their victory wasn't just about the state championship or becoming the #1 basketball team in the country.  The Fab-5 became a family and the coach like a father.  That was the real victory, because without that sense of stability, nothing else would have been possible in their lives. What moved me most about the documentary was Coach Dru Joyce's realization that his mission was not just to win the game, but to transform these "boys into men."  How profound! There are all kinds of lessons in this film.  As I reflect on this photo of my son in a huddle during his first AAU game, I pray that his coaches have already come to that realization. If you have an athlete in your home, no matter the sport, this is a must see film.

Slam Jam Hoyas - KingMan in the electric blue Nikes