Resistance took a toll.
Coach B’s name started circulating in league meetings—not as a problem, but as a variable. Games against his team felt tighter. Reviews colder. The pressure wasn’t obvious, which made it worse.
The players noticed.
One night, the team captain pulled Coach B aside.
“Are we paying for something?” he asked. “Because if we are, we deserve to know.”
Coach B stood there longer than he needed to.