In the midst of some recent events in my own community – I’ve been doing some reflecting, reminiscing and remembering my own days of playing sports.
I was a kid who loved sports and everything about them. I loved to practice, learn, grow, and then compete. I loved traveling with the team all over Long Island to face off with another school. I loved the rivalry between teams and towns, especially at the varsity level. I also loved and still do love the really good coaches I met along the way. Those coaches, even though some of them may be gone, made an impact that has lasted my lifetime.
After a really insightful conversation with an old sports friend this past week, I’ve been thinking a lot about the deep influence a coach can have on a child or young person. As a coach, you can use a round ball to shape a person’s life and even create a healthy outlet and detour for a young life. Truthfully, some coaches spend more quality and instructional time with their players than the players’ own parents do. Much of the discipline, work ethic, teamwork, and tenacity to succeed is learned on a court, field, or a track is taught and instilled by a coach.
You’ve been given influence with kids in the most formative years of their lives. Their brains, habits, bodies, and personalities are still forming, along with character traits that they will most likely carry with them into the adult years and beyond.
Whenever you instruct them, it matters. Whenever you correct them, that matters as well. Whenever you show them how to win and how to lose too, they are absorbing those lessons. Whenever you teach them life lessons using a ball, whenever you show them how to walk tall, whenever you show them how to compete well and treat teammates and opponents with respect, it certainly matters, coach.
So, let’s take a moment to thank our coaches for everything they do for our kids, both seen and unseen. They are a big part of raising our children to be respectful and successful adults.
Thank you, Coach.
