Winning isn’t easy.
Every victory carries a certain difficulty factor.
Winning a game takes effort. Winning a championship takes perseverance. Winning outside the arena takes vigilance.
But, winning at anything takes a first step.
New South Hagerstown girls basketball coach Kevin Meredith came to help the Rebels to take those strides of walking, then running all the way to winning.
“Our first game against Francis Scott Key, we lost by 45, and it’s not going to get any easier,” Meredith said. I told our girls before that first game that I could care less about losing games. You don’t have to be winners to be winners.”
“Our goal is to learn how to work, how to compete and how to become winners. We might not win many games, but through hard work, through learning what it means to be tough.”
Meredith has his work cut out for him.
He comes to a South Hagerstown program that has struggled for many years.
The Rebels’ season was in the 2013-14 season when Nate Naylor – the new North Hagerstown boys coach – was on the bench.
That team finished with a 22-1. The Rebels haven’t won a combined 22 games in the last 10 seasons since then.
“What are we really doing?” Meredith said. “We are teaching them to be wonderful and great human beings. No one here is going to play in the WNBA. One or two could go to college … maybe three. So, we’re trying to teach them to be great tough individuals.”
For Meredith, this is a return after a bit of hiatus after coaching for many years in Frederick County.
“I’ve been at Brunswick. I’ve been at (Thomas Johnson). I’ve been at Frederick. I’ve been to Tuscarora,” Meredith said. “I’ve been to all those high schools, and I’ve been coaching track and field in the area at Frederick. I coached boys lacrosse and girls soccer there.
“All nine of my children went through Frederick High; I have a great appreciation for the athletic director there and that community and I see (South Hagerstown athletic director Dwayne) Freeman wants to do the same thing here. Now that I’m here in Hagerstown and the timing is good, I thought let’s try to do it.”
For most sports fans, the barometer for any team and its coach comes down to the win-loss record. Winning isn’t everything and – especially on the high school level – it can be shallow with learning something along the way.
“It’s going to sound fluffy and idealistic, but the greatest thing I think I bring is love, patience, teaching and a great desire to be impactful through the sport of basketball,” Meredith said. “My competence is high. I played in college Division II. I had an opportunity to go overseas (to play professionally), but at the time, I had three children and married young, so didn’t want to drag my family into that type of situation.
“I have a high level of competence for teaching, patience and love. And I have desire to come along side South and A.D. Freeman, who wants to impact this area through sports.”
It all starts with some drastic changes philosophically. It’s not an easy task and this process will take time.
“We have one young lady with the potential to be the best in the county, but consequently, this is her senior year, and she hasn’t been coached to her potential. There’s an understanding what goes along in life and athletics is accountability, responsibility, being an example, extraordinary work ethic, dedication, commitment and all those things.
“It’s been a culture shock for everyone involved – the oldest and the youngest – coming in, not knowing what this is or being here for years and not having it. It’s a lot on the girls. Because we are trying to do pretty significant work laying the culture for a new foundation and really good things moving forward.”
Growing pains are expected for the Rebels. If the finished product works, the Rebels will gain more than just more wins than losses on a record.
“We’re not here for any other reason than to help these young ladies grow as individuals,” Meredith said. “And if they have the athletic gift, it could provide a chance to express to that on the next level where they can create opportunities for themselves and their families.”
