With summer right around the corner, kids can’t wait to hear the school bell ring for the last time so they can hit the pool, courts, track, gym, golf course, or athletic fields. Some will be trying out a sport for the first time, while others will be seeking to take their game to the next level.
There is no better way to spend the summer than playing sports – unless you have a bad coach or program instructor. Being a coach for a youth sports program sounds so easy, but working with entry level youngsters requires a special skill set. For most people this knowledge has to be acquired.
In the Spring Issue of Volleyball USA magazine, UCLA’s women’s coach Mike Sealy wrote an article entitled, “You Can’t Force-Feed Passion.” Sealy closed the article with a quote that his father, who was a high school football and basketball coach, kept on his desk.
What am I?
I am a Teacher.
What can I do?
I can expose you to ideas, but I cannot tell you what to think.
I can guide you, but you must discover the limits of your own potential.
I can encourage you, but your greatest fulfillment must come from within.
I can listen to you, but I will not tell you what to say.
I can look with you, but I cannot tell you what you will see.
I can move with you, but I cannot tell you what to feel.
I can speak with you, but I cannot tell you what to hear.
I can do some things with you, but you can do more with yourself.
I can guide you on the path of discovery, but I cannot tell you the answer.
Parents can help their kids stay passionate about sports (and life) by putting them on teams and in programs where the coaches and instructors share Coach Sealy’s vision.
Here’s to a summer filled with passion and sports and good coaching!