On the TunneySide of Sports January 27, 2020 #780 Up next… Teachers Are Coaches!
After further review… At age 12, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be a coach. Certainly, my dad, who was my hero and mentor, had an influence on that decision. He coached only 8 years but attempted to guide me in other directions. Maybe the fact that those 8 years were during the Great Depression (the 1930s) had a bearing on his thinking. He worked three jobs (teacher/coach–sports official–playground director), which perhaps created a great financial and physical challenge. He lived to be only 59 years of age.
He was such a role model for me that I spent my school years studying coaches and teachers analyzing not only their teaching methods and style but the way they helped their students learn and behave. Yes, behave! The ones I was able to learn from best were the ones who were interested in me as a person, not just what my grades were.
Later as an inner-city high school principal for 10 years I coached teachers to help them understand that in the classroom each of them was a coach. On the field or court, coaches want each player to be successful. Only when each player does that can the T*E*A*M be successful. In the classroom, it is not pitting one student against another, but getting the most out of each to become successful. Thus, my philosophy for schools is ‘Every kid is a winner!’
I was reminded of that as I watched the four head coaches in the NFL championship games a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been fortunate to be on the NFL field for more than three decades with some 300 NFL head coaches. Unfortunately, I will be omitting many of them as I cite these: Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs; Mike Vrabel, Tennessee Titans; Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers; and Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers. I observed not who won or lost, but how each interacted with his players. I was impressed.
In victory or defeat, each of these four displayed a mature manner and treated each of their players with respect. That doesn’t mean they weren’t tough on them. When discipline had to be done, each seemed to conclude with the attitude – C’mon you and we are better than that! Further, the players’ behavior toward their on-field opponent was one of respect.
Will you be a coach to others who might need your help?
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