usually terrible. But your class stepped up and decided that you would compete, have fun, and win, and you guys made it happen. I'm very impressed with this accomplishment. Now to become this close, you all had to go through things; you had to learn from mistakes, grow, mature, and face some hard times. It was 6th-grade outdoor ed camp, and these boys were there for a good time, not a long time. They made some inappropriate decisions and refused to zip up their tents because they loved being greeted by raccoons when we came back from our hikes; they yelled, they fought, they did it all, and to top it off, on our way home, most of them decided to get carsick. So they gave Mr. Chou and me a projectile throw-up extravaganza, and I mean exorcism-type throwing up. I couldn't even help them cause I would start throwing up. It was terrible; it was a whole event. And then, after all that, Covid for 7th grade. And it was hard on them: every- thing that they naturally wanted to do as young men they couldn't do as freely. They had to stay six feet away from each other, no talking while eating, there was a lot of pent-up frustration being built within this class, and they let me have it one afternoon when I messed up enforcing the rules of a Jeopardy game. They were fired up and wanted all the smoke, and I was getting verbally attacked from all angles; even Elliott had some words for me. I was hot. I made them run for the rest of that class. Still, looking back on it, they were just frustrated, so we all let it go, and things were back to normal the next day. They were younger, and things were challenging, and they had good days and bad days throughout that year, but the only way to get through it was to grow up, and handle whatever came their way, and they rose to the occasion. You all have shown tremendous growth and maturity during your 8th-grade year and built genuine bonds with
one another; make sure y’all keep your friendships strong, and you will be at each other's weddings and other important moments throughout your lives. Over these last four years, my goal has been to teach you guys how to be better young men and give you guys insight on what may be to come either in sports or in real life, so I'm going to continue down that path and leave you guys with some life advice. So please take what you want from these words and apply it to your life however you see fit. Confidence is critical. If you bring up any person at the top of their game, whether an athlete, artist, teacher, or lawyer, more times than not, they have confidence in themselves. Confidence is essential to you being great. It allows you to believe that whatever goals you have set for yourself can be reached. I think you should be your number one fan; let the confidence you have in yourself pour out of your heart and mind, and do not ever let anyone try to put a cap on how confident you are in yourself. We live in times where many people are unsure of themselves and have low self-esteem. We try and do everything to help these people, which is beautiful; however, if someone has extreme confidence in their abilities, we call them selfish or cocky. I think we should be lifting up those people as well. But many people are haters, especially those with low self- esteem. That confidence in yourself is so powerful: if you believe you can do it and put in the work, it will come to fruition. Be self-motivated: God created you to be great, so that’s the expectation. You might ask, how do I become confident, Coach Cotton? Here is my advice: build a relationship with God, put in the work, exercise, be consistent, constantly search for new knowledge, and prepare for everything; preparation is essential. If you do these things, your swagger will be on ten, and you will navigate this life in a fulfilling way. So be confident.
Next, as you’ve heard me say before, get your money! There is nothing cool about being broke! You must pay for housing, food, a vehicle, medical insurance, and most importantly, to create fun memories with your families. No matter how you slice it, things cost; even if the activity you are going to do is free, the gas to get there costs money. It's all about creating those memories, sending your children to camps, excellent schools, buying your family a house. It feels good to provide for your family. Now, the money will not fall out of the sky. You have to take care of business in school or be innovative. You can develop skills to fix problems or help others. If you do one of those things, you can make some money. Now with all that said, you have to be careful; you cannot make the pursuit of money change your spirit. I've always heard money is the root of all evil, and that can be true if you allow it to take time away from your family, if you allow it to make you heartless and not care about anyone but yourself, if you turn a blind eye to people's cries for help because you are getting a check. Money is just a tool that you utilize to make life a bit more comfortable for you and your family. But beyond that, to me, getting your money is an attitude to be successful and to go for it all. Lastly, life is short, so build great relationships and choose your battles wisely. The average human lifespan for a male is 80 years, and you will spend about 25 years sleeping, leaving you with 65 years. Each day you wake up is a tremendous blessing, so you must take this opportunity and do what truly fulfills you. The people you surround yourself with throughout this journey in life will be one of the most critical choices you make. These relationships will add joy and positivity to your life, or they can put you in uncomfortable situations. If the relationships you form in life do not add to your happiness, then avoid them at all costs, and surround yourself with good people.
WINTER 2023 • RED & GOLD | 29
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