IRREDEEMABLE

IRREDEEMABLE/ Twelve

IRREDEEMABLE/ Twelve

(Ashley)

                              Coach sat there shaking his head…my dad closed his eyes in displeasure. He opened them, giving me a hard disapproving stare. “I’m disappointed in you, Ashley,”

                              The tape played again- my interview from Friday night, when we won the State Championship. “I’m hoping that we can make it back next year- y’know like, reload and make another go at it…I’m confident in my abilities as a player- ‘hint hint’ UConn(I winked at the camera), but”-

                              My mouth dropped open. “What did I do? All I did was”-

                              “All you did was ruffled a couple of feathers over there with the UConn scouting program,” hardlined Coach. “What- you thought that was cute, aiming your little diatribe at them, and winking at the camera? Well, you’ve gotten their attention- their obviously upset that you tried to put them on blast and air out the whole debacle on TV,”

                              “They’re upset with me? I’m the one who clearly has the right to be upset!” I protested. “They’re the ones stringing me along! I’ve wanted to play for no other school but UConn- but they’re the ones who are actin all ‘upper crust’ and stuff! Still chasin Travis Beckham down, despite the fact that he said he’s NOT gonna commit to them…but here I am- clearly wanna play ball with them, and they’re sittin here actin like they’re too good for me! Maybe I should go commit to some other school like Syracuse, or Rutgers,”

                              “Ashley, I understand your frustration…but you can’t go around trying to play games like that- trying to put a program like that in a situation where their hands are tied, and forced to offer you a scholarship. I’ve seen kids do that- only to get left out in the cold,” breathed the coach.

                              “Ashley, you know I’m all for you wanting to give it a go at your desire to become a professional basketball player. Clearly, you have potential and abilities that others don’t…but you have to go at it the right way. Your mother and I didn’t raise you to act like a prima donna and try to play mind games to get what you want. You respect those coaches, and what they have to do, and they will respect you,” my dad preached.

                              I pressed my lips together. “Sorry dad…it’s just that…I wanna go to UConn, but if they’re upset with what I did, and they don’t wanna recruit me, then I guess I have no choice but to go elsewhere,”

                              Coach Gunter let out a hard grumbling sigh, looking up to me. “Well…fortunately, for you- your little gamble paid off. UConn has offered you a scholarship- despite the interview you gave, they liked your play during the State Championship game,”

                              “Oh SNAP!” I exclaimed, standing up…a smile spread across my face, as I embraced the coach in one the hardest hugs that I had ever given. I was gonna be on my way- the school that I wanted to play for finally sent me an offer! “Thank you, Coach Gunter! Thank you thank you thank you!!”

                              He let out a hearty chuckle. “I told you that I’d do whatever I could to secure you a scholarship. It took some talking- they were not happy at all when they had seen your interview…in fact, the assistant coach of the basketball team is here- they want to make your offer a public announcement,”