Dave White blogs that his brother Tom, captain of the Ramapo College volleyball team, recorded his 1,000th dig last night. Gotta respect defensive prowess. I managed the boys' varsity team at St. Mary's H.S., Manhasset my first two years. At the end of sophomore year, I received a varsity letter. I would have received the sweater to go with it in junior year, but I chose to leave the team when Coach Cosmo Miranda left the school.
The sport I loved until high school was basketball. Miranda saw me practicing in the gym one day and took it upon himself to teach me a foolproof shooting technique. I've missed some baskets since then, of course, but whether the ball goes in is secondary to proper form. Maintaining form, a player can trust that the shots will eventually fall. It was after one of our shooting drills that Miranda asked for my help with the volleyball team. I was honored to do it.
For two years, I kept score, timed practice, managed equipment, and cheered the team on. I got to learn and love the game. Miranda was a disciplinarian who locked the doors and curtained the windows during practice, but I knew firsthand, if you listened to him, you improved. I knew his barking orders was performance for the same purpose as mine today, delivering a message. The bulk of his P.E. students never got to know this.
When Miranda left, volleyball became the cool sport. Better athletes joined up who hadn't liked Miranda's style. The new coach was much looser on the reins, letting anyone into the gym while the team practiced. So I decided to leave. When Batman goes, Robin goes.
The letter sat in my closet the rest of high school and two years of college, until I gave it to a friend who was both a member of Font and captain of the Hofstra women's volleyball team (the Flying Dutchwomen).
3 comments:
I was one of Coach Miranda's few admirers at the Highland School from 1975-1982... where there were those who objected to his style even back then. But I adored him. I am attending a Highland reunion tonight, and was hoping that I could get in touch with Coach... do you know how I can contact him?
And I was team manager for him 1969-72 at Highland (Jamaica Estates) for basketball and softball. Cosmo Miranda was a coach with plenty to teach if you were willing to learn, a no-nonsense style, and a strong philosophical base. I learned a lot from him.
I, too, would love to contact him again.
-- Elliot Chikofsky
elliot@pathbridge.net
I had Miranda as a coach at The Highland School 1982-3. Though most of my classmates disliked him, I had a good relationship with him, as I always tried my hardest and he respected that effort. But then, after a difficult gym class where many of my classmates (but not me) acted out, he gave our entire class detention. Then, a week later, he completely fabricated a story, claiming that I cursed him out in the hallway at school, something that never happened. But school administration believed him, of course. The man was insane.
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