It took three games for Nathan Martin to get the first technical foul of his coaching career.
The 23-year-old Puxico turned Three Rivers College turned University of Missouri alum had just taken over his high school program.
The Indians were playing Bernie in the semifinals of the Campbell Invitational and it wasn't going well. Puxico was down big at half and by more than 20 in the third quarter and Martin got heated. He left his designated coaches' box and made his way near midcourt.
"Jay! He walked! He walked!" Martin shouted at a referee he'd known for years.
"Nathan, calm down and get back in your box," the ref said back.
"No Jay, you missed that call!"
That's when the ref spun around and T'd him up. Another official walked by and Martin, who knew the rule, jokingly said, "This is the first technical of my career. Can I still stand up or do I have to sit down?"
The ref laughed and told him, yes, he had sit the rest of the game. Puxico lost by four. It was Martin's first loss.
It was the first of four technicals Martin got in his freshman coaching campaign.
"I thought I would handle myself a little better. But being 23 and gung ho, sometimes your emotions get the best of you," said Martin, who was a little surprised he turned out to be such a shouty coach. "We'll see where it goes. I'll probably try and tone it down a little bit, but I'm still going to be as passionate."
When Martin took the job, it was his long-term goal to bring back some of that pride Puxico has always had for its basketball teams.
"I feel that the culture I'm hoping to bring back is on the rise. There toward the end of the season, I could feel the fans were getting excited about the future," Martin said. "Coming into the first year, it is hard to get something established and get the boys to buy in fully."
What turned out to be a 9-14 season had both players and coach learning on the fly. Martin was used to Three Rivers and Missouri, where technical jargon and in-depth basketball knowledge was second-hand for everyone. Martin had to remember that he wasn't coaching college players.
"I found myself having to break down things into simpler terms. In the long run, toward the end of the season, I feel it made me a better coach because it taught me some patience," Martin said. "These kids are learning some of the stuff for the first time so you have to break it down and make sure they are getting it."
The Indians lost to Campbell in the first round of the district tournament, but were fortunate to watch the girls program win the first district championship, and have the first 20-win season, in program history.
The success was a slow build, started when Jordan Hill brought the program back seven years ago. Each year they got a little better. It taught Martin that it's a 4-5 year process to build the high school, as well as the junior high, into a strong program.
Martin said the boys were supportive for the Lady Indians' run, but at the same time, they don't want to get shown up by their basketball compatriots. The boys are hungry for a banner of their own.
He expects to have all five starters back this winter, as well as several underclassmen who will play up from time to time. Martin hopes to yell less in his sophomore season, as well as focus more on the positives than the negatives.
For example, last season he might get angry when a player didn't go hard enough after a rebound, of was out of position by a step of two on a play.
"If we're going to be able to compete later in the year, in districts and throughout the postseason, we are going to have to play some man to man and we are going to have to get better at it."
Players and coach, everyone has something to build on.