forget me nots: kate martin

11. good coach

september 20 2021
kenzie's perspective

If I wasn't on the coaching staff, I would totally ask Kate to drive me to practice everyday. Because wouldn't that be such a good flirting idea? The answer is yes. But unfortunately, as of two weeks ago, I have to get to practice 30 minutes early to work with Bluder and the assistant coaches on drills and game strategies. If you take out the fact that I love all the girls and basketball as a whole, I really do love this job irregardless. Coaching has always been my dream, even before the injury. It was either that or a veterinarian for turtles which is apparently unrealistic (what the heck). Either way, although I don't like getting there early, I do like planning and getting to talk to the coaches. I'm trying to get them to open up to me about their lives, which so far isn't working, but to be fair: I don't want to talk about my life either.

"I don't think drill three is doing anything for the girls. They all seem bored and sometimes they do need the basics, but I think we've exhausted it. And we need to work on versatility too. Caitlin can always come and shoot a three and Gabbie can always block someone, but we want Caitlin to be able to block just as well as Gabbie and vice versa." I explain to the coaches.

"I agree. I think we've leaned too much on our core five and their special skills and not enough on what they need to work on." One of the assistant coaches adds.

"Alright ladies, I agree as well. Does anyone have any ideas?" Bluder asks.

This is basically what I do every morning. I ask a question or propose an idea and let them run the rest. I don't want to seem too overeager or overconfident.

Bluder finally decides on a new drill to add, and by then, practice has started.

I fix my high ponytail and pull up my black jeans as I walk through the office doors to the court. Kate and Gabbie both wave hi to me and I just smile back. Caitlin's too busy laughing at someone's joke to notice that practice has started, as always.

I stand off to the side while the girls run their first drills and stretch for 30ish minutes. They have these first few assignments memorized like the back of their hand, so it's honestly really boring. Practice is pretty repetitive, but I don't think watching practice is any coach's favorite part of the job. Once they finish drill 2, Bluder calls them all to the center to talk about their new drill. As a team, we need to focus more on shooting instead of people's mindsets being "just pass it to Caitlin" or "shoot and hope for the best". So we replaced one of our rebounding drills with a shooting one.

The girls form two lines, one on the left of the hoop and one on the right. The player on the right starts with the ball, passes it to whoever's on the left, who passes it back to the player on the right, who then shoots. Then the player who passed starts and so on. Boring, but not something we do everyday. Kylie starts, passes to Syd, back to Kylie, who easily makes her shot. Kylie moves to the back of the line and Kate comes forward. Sydney passes to her, Kate passes back and Sydney makes her layup. Then Kate starts with the ball, passes to Caitlin, who passes it back and Kate shoots, and hits the backboard. Kate's not our number one shooter, but I'd still expect her to make that. We run through the team and it's Kate's turn again. She passes to Caitlin, gets the ball back and it rolls off the rim. She seems distracted, but it's probably just an unlucky coincidence. It's everyone's third turn when Kate comes back to the front again. Caitlin passes to her and it's not even close this time. Compete air ball. Fourth turn? Miss again. Barely hits the backboard. I curl my finger towards myself while looking at her to get her attention. I'm not even trying to flirt or talk to her, I just want to ask what's going on.

"Hey. You seen distracted. Four missed layups? That's not like you." I ask once she runs over and meets my gaze.

"Just got some bad news last night. And I think I'm probably messing something up with my form."

"Stand like you're going to shoot for me. Bent knees."

I place my right hand on her bicep and run my left hand down from her upper back to where her shirt meets her shorts. I feel goosebumps on the part of her arm I have my hand on.

"You're bent too forward at the small of your back. It's messing up where your arms reach."

I move my right hand off her arm and onto her chest, where the neckline of her shirt starts. I push lightly and fix her posture faintly.

"Super easy change. And you usually do it anyway, so just keep it in the back of your head."

"Thanks K."

"And if you wanna talk? I'm always here." I whisper in her ear. I have to go on my tippy toes to reach even close to her level.

She smiles softly before running to the back of the line.

Next shot? Made easily. The one after that? Bucket.

Pretty good coach if I say so myself.

Once practice ends, Kate comes up to me. Her black compression shirt is slightly wet and her hair is all messy. So essentially I'm done for. She bends down slightly to talk softly into my ear.

"Seems like you actually are a good coach Morgan."

I'm stunned into silence.

avery's note

short chapter today because i just want to get over this flirting era and i need them to date already!

lmk if you have any suggestions for what to fill these next 6 chapters with

also there will be drama (not between kate and kenzie) once they date i just need them to get together first

PLEASE COMMENT LOVE YOU MWAH💋