The amount of impact a coach can have in a kid’s life is almost unreasonable!
Two of the most powerful words in the English language are, “Coach says.”
BUT! Just as a coach has the power to help a kid navigate the craziness of this world and transform their image and confidence, a coach can also destroy.
A coach who lacks vision, conviction, character, confidence, security, and/or strong moral values can just as surely ruin a young man or woman. Haven't you seen this before? What a coach does and neglects to do matters...
It is likely that you are a Love-Powered Leader and the impact you have and are able to have is immensely positive and necessary. Therefore, you will understand this rant.
If coaches have this much power and influence, what are they currently using it for? What are ultimately the most helpful things that we should be influencing these kids towards today?
In my observation, the majority of coaches are still, to the detriment of their students, using about 95-100% of their influential power to build higher performing athletes on the field.
It appears, and you can correct me if I am wrong, that the majority of kids are not making much, if any progress towards:
- Becoming more secure and confident in who they really are
- Becoming more aware of their gifts and strengths as people, and then being given opportunities to develop them
- Become more courageous and working through fears
- Becoming stronger communicators, looking people in the eye, shaking hands firmly, and asking others questions with a sense of curiosity and eagerness to learn
- Becoming servant-leaders who seek to serve and help others first
- Become more caring and compassionate teammates
- Becoming more humble, open, honest, and vulnerable (confident)
I know that sounds bleak, but it is what I am witnessing to be true.
→ The majority of coaches do have this unreasonable power to influence kids in whatever direction they aim at
→ The majority of coaches choose to spend 9.5 out of 10 hours of the week at practice only ever working on skills, drills, and conditioning, despite the limited impact this has
→ The majority of coaches do not establish clear core values, principles, and systems that reward and recognize character based actions and privately address (1 on 1) and correct behaviors that are misaligned with the values and principles of the team
→ The majority of coaches are giving in to the gravitational pull of “what everyone else says is important” and they are putting winning games ahead of building as many winning athletes (inside out) as possible
With these shallow coaching outcomes either consciously or subconsciously in mind, the result has actually continued to be the opposite of what we want!
→ Kids are experiencing decreased passion and love for the game, resulting in burnout
→ Injuries that are avoidable continue to rise to shocking levels
→ Performance roller coasters with extreme inconsistency (because of lack of emphasis on mental game training)
The great thing is we are the problem and the solution. And right now is a more spectacular time than ever to come up with a better plan. Love-powered leaders can change the world.
My recommendation?
- Read The Youth Truth (maybe for a second time)
- Read Inside-Out Coaching. Below is a clip from the book...
- Hire us or an outside organization to help your coaching staff or your players directly.
And at the bare minimum, choose to do one thing every single day to positively impact your students from the inside out.
At the end of every day ask yourself, “Did I make a difference in at least one kid’s life today?”
Serving you,
Andrew
