Baller 21

Impact a Life // Coach a Sport

by Chris Harvey on 02/03/10

I have many memories of my coaches through the years playing sports. Some good and some bad.

However, as I have now been through the process of organizing a high school basketball league, Baller Basketball, and sought after quality volunteer coaches, as well as coaching a team myself, I am reminded of the impact a coach can have on a life.

I can still remember to this day, while playing on a youth basketball team, and our coaches (my dad and another friends dad) ingraining in us the motto, “NO EXCUSES, JUST RESULTS,” when we were complaining about working hard in practice.

Some of my best memories have been with the coaches that have balanced out the sport experience: The nurturing of developing sport-related skills and the competitiveness side with the relational and free play side of athletics.

On the one hand, there is something within human nature that desires working towards perfection in practice, the challenge of competition, and the joy of victory.

On the flip side, there is equal joy in building friendships, coming together with your teammates in the heat of a contest, making your coach proud when you execute a play correctly, and fulfilling a natural desire to just play for the fun of play.

In addition to these fond memories, there were always life lessons being taught. Life lessons in working hard to achieve goals, discipline, team work, character, handling defeat rightly, stewardship of time and skills, and enjoying the gifts of athletics and relationships, to name a few.

Now, I am aware of the ongoing debate about whether athletics build character or reveals character that is lacking. I believe they do both and a debate about an either or stance is missing the point.

Life and human nature are complex and even a mystery at times. Why should we see results that are any different when evaluating athletics? In one instance, we are capable of producing artistic beauty in the athletic arenas and noteworthy sportsmanship, and yet still capable of horrific actions.

The opportunity is this: Cultivate the good in athletics and life and learn it’s lessons and encourage change when the bad is revealed.

How is that going to happen? One dedicated coach at a time. One life at a time.

In athletics, whether as a team or individual sport, the stage is set for a life to be encouraged, mentored, challenged, and impacted by you, me, the coach.

How have you been impacted by a coach?
Who are you impacting as a coach?