Sunset

by Ryan Krzykowski

Back in December I wrote about the end of a nearly 22-year run, from when I’d first coached my oldest son in early 2004 to wrapping up my youngest son’s HS football season.  As that same youngest son heads toward graduation, the nostalgic feelings continue.  He and his friends are about to begin their baseball postseason, and along with that comes the realization that there are just 1-5 games left in our family’s HS athletic journey.  They’ve got a good team, and they’re well positioned to make a realistic run at a championship.  At the same time, baseball can be cruelly random in a one game sample, and so the possibility of an early exit is ever present. 

So as the regular season concluded last week and I walked to my car in the district facility’s parking lot for the final time, I was struck by the symbolism of the sun setting over the baseball field.  I’m not always a symbolism kind of guy, but this one got me.  I’ve probably visited that facility 125 times to watch (or coach) my sons in football or baseball games.  No matter the outcome of these 2026 baseball state playoffs, the past 12 years of high school sports in Olathe has been a tremendous experience for our family.  Certainly not without some challenges or disappointments, but overall we’ve been incredibly blessed by the opportunities provided for our boys.  I feel tremendous gratitude to coaches, officials, administrators, teammates and their families, and all others who have been part of this chapter. I still believe there’s nothing quite like sports when it comes to bringing people together, and for a dozen years our family has been a part of something very special.

Let’s Coach With Purpose…