There are pluses and minuses to getting old.

You learn a lot of things throughout your life that you can use as the years roll by or offer up to others as advice.

I am no wise old sage, but I have found out that over the years I have been a sports editor for Leader Publications, you really do not know what you are missing until it is gone.

Niles is about to find that out when veteran coach Todd Pawielski walks off the floor for the final time after 12 years.

As in every coach’s career, there are highs and lows. Pawielski, in my estimation, has had many more highs than lows.

I have never measured success in wins in losses. When you coach in high school you have to play the hand you are dealt year in and year out. Sometimes you are fortunate enough to have great talent, while at other times you are just lucky if you are competitive with the players you have on the roster.

I have always measured success in the high school programs that I cover in terms of how hard a team plays, if they improve throughout the course of a season and if their community can be proud of how they handle themselves on and off the court.

You can check all three of those boxes when it comes to teams that Pawielski coached over the years.

The Vikings have always played hard no matter what the talent level was. They have also shown improvement throughout the season despite what the final record may have indicated.

And they have always been good kids of which I know their school and community were proud.

Pawielski had a great stretch playing in the always-tough SMAC West Division from 2009 to 2012.

The Vikings went 24-6 over that stretch against teams like Lakeshore, St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, which are all perennial powerhouses.

The 2011-12 season was a special one for Pawielski and the Vikings as they went 19-5, won the Class B district championship and lost a close game to an extremely talented Okemos squad.

I have been fortunate enough to call Todd my friend for all these years.

We have laughed together and I have listened to his frustrations over losses he knew his squad should not have had.

He is an outstanding coach and even a better person.

I know I am personally going to miss him because he quite often made me laugh and there were days I needed that.

Niles, you may not know it now, but you have lost a special person. And as time goes on, you will come to realize this.

So, if you see Pawielski over the next few days or weeks, take the time to stop and thank him for what he has done for not only Niles basketball, but as a former teacher in the Niles school district.

Scott Novak is sports editor for Leader Publications. He can be reached at scott.novak@leaderpub.com.