Week 2 at Westgate

Some Dancing at Westgate from Mitch Catacutan on Vimeo.

So here's what the fuss is all about at Westgate: this new guy is getting kids to dance!!! Here's proof. We did some jive one week and then I did a hip hop lesson where they picked cards that had dance moves on there (shopping cart, robot, grapevine, etc) and they had to come up with their own routine. Now kids from other classes hear about this from their friends who have me and they ask their teacher if they can learn dance. My supervising teachers say how kids are asking when am I teaching again in their class. I've inspired a girl in one of my classes to offer to teach the class jazz dance on Monday. Should be fun and hopefully I'll have some video of that.



As I was in early to shoot with some students, the vice principal came in and told me that he's been hearing some complaints about me. I was quite shocked as he had a pretty serious look on his face. I responded "really" in a crack voice. In a serious face he said, "I hear that students are having TOO much fun in gym class" and quickly smiled after he said that. It took me a second to realize that he was joking around with me and once I figure it out, I smiled and replied "well, is that a bad thing?". As he went to leave the gym, he said "thanks for all the great stuff you've been doing here." It was really pretty cool to hear this.

I've been going into shortly after 7 to work with basketball players on their shot because they want to make the team. It sucks that I'm going to most likely cut a few of them and they are the ones coming in and putting in the effort. One mom came up to me and asked if her son had to come to all the practices if he son made the team. I didn't quite answer at first but said that anyone that makes the team will have to attend all practices because I didn't know who's mom she was. So I asked her who her son was and it was a kid who's runners were so old that he looked like he was skating when we ran lines. The mom said that he's getting new basketball shoes and that she's so pumped to see him out for something outside of school. I feel bad though because I'll be cutting her son next week and she'll probably go out and get him new shoes this weekend. As much as I'm excited about coaching, this is the part I hate the most. I love to see the enthusiam but when it comes down to it, I can't take everyone. Wish that there was more time in the day so I can do something for these kids that want to play but aren't good enough to make the team. So many kids call me Coach and are going out of their way to be nice to me. They really want to make the team and I know they won't think I'm as cool after I cut them.

Once my team is made though, I'll be really excited to get to work. We moved up to AAAA this year so we'll be playing some quality basketball this year. I def won't have the offensive fire power that we did last year but having some players for the second time around will make for a better defensive team. Coming into tryouts I didn't think that we would have much of a bench but we have some younger brothers of guys who played for me last year and they are the 2 of 3 people that can do a left handed lay up at full speed. So I think that we will be about 9 deep with a starting lineup of four 6 footer returning players and one provincial point guard. I am expecting this team to be one of my best defensive teams that I've ever coached (tough to top one of my Prov teams though). I hope that you can come and check out a game this year. I'll be sure to post our schedule on a regular basis.

So that's my week. Sorry it went longer than I had orginally intended. Enjoy the video.

Mr Catacutan / Mr C / Coach / Mitch / Hey You