This week I thought we would open with a subject that all parents, athletes and coaches hold near and dear... or at least they should - coaching for character.
What exactly is coaching for character? What does that even mean? How does one go about it? What is character development? Who's responsible? Why is it even important?
There's a whole lot more to sports than just winning... and please don't get me wrong, I don't think any of us wants to lose. Truly, wins and losses are a fundamental part of sports AND life. That said what do you really learn if morals and values aren't taught while teaching?
Huh? What the…?
Yeah, that's right you heard it here first folks; teaching while teaching... as much as we (coaches) are teaching (coaching is nothing more than teaching) young athletes how to execute a specific movement, play or technique we should also be sure to capture those "teachable moments" that will further benefit our young athletes in life. As a matter of fact, that's a huge part of our responsibility as coaches.
Athletes are always looking at how their coaches conduct themselves. ALWAYS - We are responsible for what they see... in other words we must be able to model the very behavior that we expect from them.
The following are a few areas that can be "taught while teaching" in sports...
• Discipline - "Doing what you should do whether you like it or not." -Mack Newton
• Hard work - "No one has ever drowned in a pool of sweat." -Lou Holtz
• Trustworthiness - "Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Humility - "A man wrapped in himself makes a very small bundle." -Ben Franklin
• Positive Attitude - "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." -Churchill
• Respect - "Respect yourself and others will respect you." -Confucius
• Passion - "Passion is the genesis of genius." -Anthony Robbins
In the coming weeks we will dive into a seven (7) part blog series about the above character traits as they pertain to athletics as a vehicle to teaching life lessons. I hope you will join the discussion...
Enjoy -
