by Mike Davenport, CoachingSportsToday.com
A superhero movie is always playing in our local theater. I grab the kids and go because those movies are fun and exciting. But they’re fiction.
I’d like to be a superhero-coach. That coach who is always doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason. Being brave all the time.
Well, that’s fiction too. Because there’s times I’ve been a coward as a coach. When I wasn’t brave.
Not easy to admit.
The Truth Hurts But … It’s The Truth
Here’s an important truth of coaching which won’t make the job postings … there will be times when its wicked tempting to be a coward. For me, it was times like:
- when I had to cut that kid who gave her all
- when I was so exhausted/sick/burned-out my world was spinning
- when my real-world crashed full force into my coaching-world (like when my own child was home sick right before practice)
- when I learned my best athlete was injured and shouldn’t play, but the BIG race/game was in 3 hours
- when an athlete does something dumb, on purpose, that puts a team mate at risk
- when my oldest son was graduating high school the same day my team was competing at the national championships
I can’t tell you what a superhero coach does in those situations. You’ll have to see the movie. I can tell you I’ve had to face them all. I’d like to say I always made a Captain American decision, took Ironman action, did what Thor world do. I’d be lying.
Your Coaching Movie
If the movie cameras are suddenly turned on you, how will you act? When faced with a superhero-coaching decision, what will you do?
- Will you scream at the athlete who “isn’t getting it?”
- When faced with a difficult decision will your decision be “non-decision”?
- Will you break a rule today, instead of changing the rule for tomorrow?
- Will you be the coach who didn’t say what needed to be said when it needed to be said?
- Will you work harder when things get rocky, instead of smarter?
It’s not easy, this coach thing.
Understanding that “right action” is as important as “right knowledge” can make it a wee bit little easier.