Coaches can play a prominent role in a child's formative years. Sports Illustrated columnist and National Public Radio commentator Frank Deford in 2004 contended when you ask a man what he remembers most about school he is "most likely to recall a coach or an incident that involved a coach." The time a coach spends with his players as well as the camaraderie that develops by sharing the emotions of wins, losses and working hard provide a platform to exert great influence. A Concordia University study by doctoral student Sandra Pelaez contends that "coaches are mentors, parent figures, career enablers, and judges — all at the same time."
Mentors
Athletic excellence is often as much about the mental aspects of the game, self-discipline and composure as it is about physical ability of the individual. The Minding Your Game website, for example, contends that "how you use your mind when putting is critical if you want to be a great and consistent putter." Coaches often have to calm a player and help her regain emotional control in stressful game situations. Coaches can teach a child how to emotionally process setbacks and how to refocus and push through to get back in the competition.
Judges
Coaches must make judgment calls concerning player performance and often provide heated and critical feedback. Deford contended in his radio commentary that coaches are not just a boss, like a teacher in a classroom is. Coaches, he said, criticize and often scream but also make the athlete feel he is a part of something. Players are called to gather round a coach for feedback on their performance and to receive rebuke or encouragement. A coach-player relationship, if healthy and balanced, can provide a child the context to learn to receive and implement constructive criticism. This is a critical life skill.
Parent Figures
Athletics, especially at the middle school and high school levels, involve a lot of time with coaches and teammates. The Concordia University study found that athletes, like most people, receive early moral instruction from parents. Yet as a child's involvement in athletics grows, the study contends that "coaches become their most important source of moral guidance." The study theorizes that this may be the case because athletes look up to and trust their coaches. Coaches also wield significant power to enforce their standards. As a nonparental yet authoritative role model, a coach can use her interaction with a child to reinforce good morals such as honesty, teamwork and strong work ethic.
Career Enablers
In a May 2010 Palo Alto Online interview, Palo Alto school superintendent Kevin Skelly said a coach's desire to win can be a vital influence in the life of a student athlete. He explained, "Competition drives folks to a shared goal." He said this is a valuable lesson that carries through to the workplace. Coaches can help a child learn valuable lessons about how team advancement can result in personal advancement. Coaches can set team goals and drive individual contribution toward achieving them. If a child learns how to marry his individual success to that of his peers, it will go a long way toward helping him excel later in life.
References
- Concordia University: Good Sports: How Coaches Provide Moral Guidance to Athletes
- National Public Radio: The Lasting Influence of a Great Coach: Frank Deford
- Palo Alto Online: What Makes A Good Coach?
- Science Daily: Coaches Help Athletes Be More Ethical, Study Suggests
- Minding Your Game: Mental Aspects of Putting
