As some of you know, I coach a high-school girls basketball team. As an old person, I have a quiver full of wise sayings, among them:

--Never complain that a test is too easy.

--There is no such thing as a bad win.

--Do your best not to get to a point in life where you look back and say "I coulda'" or "I shoulda.'"

For myself, I would add: Don't be bummed out when your enterprise is too successful. (I can't call the TBL a "business" because I have never made a penny on it. Worst businessman EVER! It's definitely a labor of love.) 

This Sunday will be one of the biggest days of basketball in the history of the Tucson Basketball League.

Having started the League with eight teams a long time ago, we now have an amazing number of teams. I'm self-aware enough to know that our success is part luck, part timing, part hard work, the lack of any real competition in the area, and the help of a great staff of refs and scorekeepers. However, the amount of time I spend each week on the League (not including that 12 1/2 hours on Sundays) has ballooned to an almost-untenable number. The scheduling is especially grueling. I tried computerizing it, but there are too many variables. This team can only play early because of work. That team can only play late because of church. These two teams can't play each other because two guys play on both teams. So I do it by hand.

One place I am definitely looking to save time on is the collection of League fees. Here are a couple things that I hope will help in that endeavor.

1. If your team hasn't paid in full by your second game, you simply won't be put on the schedule again until you have. I'm not going to chase you down. I won't have one of my scorekeepers text you to tell you how much you owe. You'll pay and then you'll play.

2. Learn the rules of the League. If your team is returning from the previous season, you only have to pay half the first week and the balance the second week. We have guys who are joining with an entirely new team who say "I played on my cousin's team a couple years ago, so we only have to pay half, right?" Wrong. Another guy texted me and said, "We played last season, so this season, it's only half price (total), right?" It took a while for the laughter to die down.

3. I was reffing a new team the other day. A guy went up for a shot and thought he got fouled. I thought differently. He said the magic words--"We paid our money." I stopped the game, gathered his team together, and offered to give them their money back. His teammates had a nice chat with him. It was enjoyable.

4. Occasionally (not always, but sometimes), we have to have one ref for a game. I'd rather it didn't happen, but it just does. People get sick, they have car trouble, whatever. If you're offended by it, just let me know. I'll make it right. But, as all basketball players know, a ref is never responsible for a loss.

5. If you pay electronically, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE include your team name. I swear that I got a Zelle from somebody named Johnny. No last name, no team name. Please help me out. Thanks.

6. SHOW UP ON TIME! It has become an epidemic of guys wandering in five or 10 minutes after tipoff time. This has nothing to do with money; it just bothers me.

Let's have a great season.