- Know all of the kids at every level and on every select and rec. team.
- Know all of the kids I have ever coached and their main achievements including stats etc.
- Teach pride, dedication, desire, and do so while often being backstabbed at every turn.
- Modify behaviors! No, Jon Jon, you can’t hit away because you are the greatest hitter this school ever had. Bunt the ball in this sacrifice situation.
- Recognize the “signs of the times and how they are changing.” Well, this week are we rotational or linear? Do we know the difference? Do we care? Are we dropping and driving to pitch or are we standing tall to fall?
- Document everything. Physical, Code of Conduct. Record any injury. Know what hour each player is in which classroom and when I can get them to therapy.
- Fight the war on drugs and alcohol. Know that “cool” is in and that in order to be successful I must motivate my players to understand that anyone can pop a top on a can of beer but few can hit the fastball.
- Raise player’s self esteem while wondering if they care themselves about their self-esteem.
- Maintain a “safe environment” Safety first. If I fail here, I’m gone instantly!
- Promote sportsmanship in an era where sportsmanship defies the norm.
- Continue my education ! This means I have to know the latest trends in weight lifting, plyometrics, speed and agility drills, etc. Then, I have to do the same for the game itself.
- Know every higher level coach in my area. Know every college coach in my area. Get all of them to know and recognize us. MAKE SURE MY PROGRAM IS RESPECTED BY ALL OF THEM.
- Know that my presence will place students in awe so I must be a role model. The problem is, I haven’t walked on water and, at times, I am not even a good person. However, one word, one action and one decision can devastate any and every kid I coach.
- Know all of the web-sites and glean as much as I can off of them.
- Decide who is potentially dangerous to our success. That might mean cutting a senior that I have had a great relationship with.
- Decide how to handle medical emergencies. I have to know when a child is hurt and when they are not. I have to decide when the pain I’ve inflicted through drills, running etc. are enough and that it is time to back off some. I have to know every new therapy, every taping scheme for injuries and every kids phone number in case I have to call the parents in an emergency.
- Make sure all of my students can pass their classes to remain eligible.
- Make sure all parents are aware of anything lacking in their child’s academic endeavors. Are they meeting CORE Class requirements and what is their score on the ACT?
- Know who is dating whom and who has had a bad day. Do I need to give that extra pat on the back?
- Make sure that I closely monitor anything remotely close to prayer !!!
What I know:
- I can’t do it all.
- Know that sometimes I feel like the greatest failure I know.
- Know that there will come a day when my kids hurt and I will be hurt!
- Know that when our season ends, I will go through deep depression because I’ve gotten so close to these kids and another group of seniors have graduated.
- I KNOW THAT I AM A MEMBER OF THE GREATEST PROFESSION IN THE WORLD! I DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! I WOULDN’T CHANGE WITH ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD!!!
but there's one and it's bolded above (I hope
)
