Don’t Make This Coaching Mistake
I’m embarrassed of my first couple years of coaching. I was missing an opportunity to model and love on those kids. I was helping them get better but I wasn’t doing my part to show them how to love one another. Here’s how you can learn from my mistake.
The most valuable leadership tool you have in your toolbelt as a youth sports coach is your heart! #DailyMight
I don’t remember much about my first couple years coaching youth sports because that version of me as a coach is long gone. When I first started, I thought coaching was about being in control, about doing things my way – no matter what. I thought that success showed up best on the scoreboard. It was my fourth year when everything changed. It was that off-season that a strong mentor convinced me to try a different approach. Instead of loving just the game, I needed to love the kids too.
I don’t remember those first couple years because it was that long ago or I had an unusually bad experience and wanted to block it out. I don’t remember because when I decided to love the kids too – that’s when coaching really began for me. I spent the first couple years adding tools to my coaching tool bag. Communication, organization, vision, knowledge – I worked on all of them. And all of them steadily improved season by season. But it wasn’t until I doubled down on love where I was able to transform young men and women. I graduated from leadership, from Coach Witt. I became Coach Witt, and mentor.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17
Our ability to love is often shaped by our experience of love and how we’ve been loved by others. I’m embarrassed of my first couple years of coaching when I was leaving this valuable part of leadership out. I was missing an opportunity to model and love on those kids. Sure, I was helping them get better at the game of hockey, at communicating, and leading. But I wasn’t doing my part to show them how to love one another. Because I was falling short of loving them first. I was loving the scoreboard instead.
The tool I use most these days, is the tool I learned four years in. Thankful for a mentor who showed me and modeled through His word that we should love at all times, and through all means – especially a friend. And in this case, an athlete I helped train. Being loved is the most powerful motivation in the world! Don’t make the same mistake I did early on, and leave this tool in your tool bag. Use it daily, from day one. Love others, so they can love others too. Don’t wait.
Give everything your everything. And then some.
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