The Mixed Martial Artist by Lanta Brown

Author:Lanta Brown [Brown, Lanta]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781916250604
Published: 2019-11-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

“Are we gonna have to start thinking about finding you a new student, or what?” Earl asked, arriving at the base of the staircase that led down from his office.

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Juliette replied. “If I’d messed this up already. I’m sure you’d take great pleasure in telling me exactly where I went wrong and how you would have gone about it all.”

“Why’ve you always gotta think the worst of me? Did it ever occur to you that maybe I’m just trying to help you out?”

“Did it ever occur to you,” Juliette replied, “that maybe you should back off for once and give me a chance to do this my own way?”

Earl took Juliette by the arm and led her into the storeroom so they could converse more privately, away from the eyes and ears of the other athletes. “How many times have you actually had her in here, once?” he asked. “I think it’s fair to start evaluating the situation, don’t you? I don’t think you’re taking this whole coaching thing very seriously. If it’s not for you, then why don’t you just say so? Not everyone’s cut out to be a mentor. Maybe you should stick to teaching kids jiu-jitsu on a Sunday morning if you think you’re gonna be satisfied stepping down from being a world-class, championship-level martial artist and walking into that kind of a life. Or, maybe you should get a part-time job in one of the factories around here. Plenty of work going for somebody at a loose end if you can’t cope with teaching someone how to become a real fighter. You see, that takes hard work. You gotta be a special kind of person to be able to spot somebody’s strengths, and then to be able to sharpen those skills to their full potential, sculpt that individual into the best possible version of themselves. Look at Tommy; that kid could barely tie his shoelaces when he first walked in here. And now, not only is he shaping up to be a serious welterweight contender, he’s a pretty useful assistant coach as well. You think that was easy? Why’s it so hard for you to figure out? You’ve seen how I work with him, haven’t you?”

“You mean, the way you treat him like he’s a piece of dirt?”

Earl narrowed his eyes and shook his head at Juliette. “You just don’t get it at all, do you?” he said, removing a towel from his shoulder to pat the sweat from his hairline. “Why do you think I’m so bothered about all this?”

“Because you love to criticize everything I do?”

“Because I can see what a great opportunity this is for us. For you and me. Fighters like this don’t just come along every day, Jules. If you blow this, some other gym is gonna snatch this kid up and you’re gonna have to watch her career taking off, wishing it was you in her corner. How do you think that’s gonna make you feel?”

“Are you done yet?”

“You know what, maybe I am.

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