Page 49 of Teaching the Kot'oll Coach

Winnie...

I glance in the direction of the library as I set up the field for the lesson. She is probably having lessons inside and telling stories to kids. Meanwhile, I just wish she would talk to me.

I let out a breath after I set up the net for the goals. I press on the remote, lifting the net until it is at the right height on the field.

The flying ships used for the game are still inside the parking slots in the storage room, but the students can move those when the class starts. I wish there could be more floatball lessons, but I have to teach them different sports in the city, which are a lot.

The bell rings. The students will show up in no time.

It isn’t lesson time yet, but my blood is already rushing through my bloodstream.

Slowly, students get ready, and I get a few of them to drive the flying ships out. The complete version of floatball is only taught to the older ones in the school after they learn the basics of driving a spaceship. The younger ones will get practice on the ground. It won’t be as exciting without strategies enabled by the extra room to move and driving skills.

When I first started learning floatball, it was quite an experience. The coach teaching me had two arms, so he couldn’t teach me how to coordinate my hands. I don’t have a problem with them for normal activities, but how to use them to make sure I’m the most efficient took time. The more arms there are, the more decisions to be made.

The flying ships are all lined up at the starting position now and the class has gathered.

I blow the whistle for everyone to gather at the center of the field. “Hello, class. Nice to meet all of you today. Is everyone ready for FLOATBALL?”

Well... I think I’m the only one that’s this excited about floatball and my two upper arms aren’t hiding that. “First, let’s get started with some warm-ups.”

They jog around the field, leaving me some extra time to stare at the flying ships. I want to be driving them myself. I get to demonstrate, but that’s different.

After the students come back, we stretch and move the arms to get ready. “Everyone, we’ll divide into teams of two and each group will get a floatball to practice passing it to each other. Then we’ll get started with the match.”

Different from basketball, which I also enjoy, especially when I have four arms; floatball makes it a bit more fair to beings. Everyone gets one bat regardless of how many arms they have.

The design of the flying ship is simple too. There’s the controller stick, pedals for gas, and that’s pretty much all there is. I think even younger kids can control it, but maybe the risk is a bit too high for most parents.

Technically, floatball isn’t a contact sport, but competition can be wild with crashes and bumps. Therefore, everyone still has to put on a helmet, which is convenient, with the earbuds for communication between team members. Except sometimes we skip the helmet for regular training, not when they are kids, though.

Every student gets into their ship. I go around and make sure their helmets are set and they put on their seat belts.

“Class, don’t forget the strap for the bat, too.”

A few hurry to put that on. I know some are going to forget.

It isn’t against the rules if someone doesn’t use the strap. Some beings like to swap hands when they want to, but for the students, it is better to make sure they put on the straps so none of them will end up dropping the bat when they fly around.

After checking the last seatbelt, I take a step back, behind the rows of ships so none will hit me. “After the whistle, slowly step on the pedal. Take your time. If you go too fast, I’ll stop you and you will have to stand to the side and watch the others play.”

I blow the whistle, and the students get going. I put on the earbud so I can talk to every ship when needed. When everyone’s up there on the field, I pick up my bat and head to the bin of floatballs.

“Here, everyone, we’ll start with the group that’s far from me. Catch and pass to your teammate.”

I toss a floatball and send it flying to that team. This is one of the basics for coaches. One will have to be able to reliably put the floatball at the right spot for the players to practice.

“Use the net to slow it, then strike to the right place.”

I toss another floatball into the air. “Team two, get ready.” I smack the ball right to where one of them can catch easily. The ball slows as it loses momentum at just the right time.

The student catches it and manages to slingshot it to her teammate at the other end of the field.

“If you can’t reach the ball, move the ship.”

I start with the next floatball and the next until every team is practicing with one. These may be the only times I get to smack floatballs. I used to train for floatball and practice all the time, but... not everyone gets to become the top players that can represent the region. I managed to the city level, but then... Maybe I’d need a few more hands to make it further, if that.

But teaching kids sports isn’t that bad after all. I love sharing floatball with them and I hope some of them will achieve even more than me.

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