Why are you here?

Why are you here? Why are any of us here?

Nobody will read this post, unless you're extraordinarily bored or you got lost on the Internet. (Mom, you're not included in this, I love you for trying though.) And if you're looking for a hook, I don't have one. I'm just an ordinary man with an ordinary life who has a passion for sports, a desire to see the success of the team concept, and a disheartening feeling that teachers are in short supply.

There was a time when I was inside the fence...playing baseball from tee ball to semi-pro. I played soccer until I broke my ankle my junior year of high school and required follow up surgery to repair it the following year. I spent some time coaching when my daughter was little, but time at work prevented me from continuing as she got older. And my son pretty much missed out on the whole Coach/Dad thing altogether. But I have loved sports, like so many people out there, and I think some of you are sensible people who are frustrated by the things that you see on fields across the country each and every day. But it took me a long time to get here. I'm not going to waste your time with my life story. I'll just give you the short version...(too late, right?)

And you might ask yourself, well, how did I get here?

I was born a coach's son. I grew up around baseball. My Dad coached some guys you'll never hear of and a couple of names you would immediately recognize from the professional ranks (Deron Cherry.) But that's not important. What is important was that he was a teacher and a student of the game. Like many of us in our youth, I didn't appreciate that he was the only real coach I had ever known until I left for college. That's when I met Mike Gaski at UNC Greensboro. If you don't know the name, look it up, what does this look like, a Wikipedia spot? Anyway, he was a baseball teacher as well. I'll explain the difference later.

The older I get, the more I appreciate those teachers I had along the way who made me who I am. And, although you're more likely to see my face plastered on a milk carton (if you're not old enough to remember, ask someone over 40) than a Hall of Fame plaque, I've gained a fair amount of knowledge about the sports I enjoy. Even professional teams are as much about classroom as they are business. The amount of time spent teaching is just different the further along the food chain you advance, while the business side becomes more prevalent. So I'm going to spout my two cents worth to make myself feel better and maybe, just maybe, reach a blockhead or two along the way. And if the shameless name-dropping continues someone may actually find this blog.

Every game has rules...

I don't condone the offing of coaches at any level based on wins or losses, because my focus has always been on instruction, but it depends on what level of participation we're talking about. A youth volunteer coach is less important from a money-making perspective than that of the professional ranks. So measure your perspective.

Disclaimer Alert. I cannot be held responsible if you have discovered that I touched a nerve, unearthed some grand truth about your beloved coach, or enlightened you on some aspect of their behavior that cause your ill-will toward them or the teams on which your child plays. I watched the Friday Night Lights series, too. Let's be real, save the drama for cable. You're an adult, act like one.

I am here to share knowledge and personal experiences with an emphasis on the "recreational" levels. In this case I am looking at youth through secondary education because once you get into college and beyond we're talking about scholarships and contracts, based on performance, where the player is receiving a direct benefit from their efforts. If you're paying for your kid to play and the coach isn't pursuing it as a full-time career, I'm talking to you and your coaches.

Teachers teach

So let's break down the 3 types of coaches you might see when you hit that next travel ball tournament 200 hundred miles from home next weekend. We'll call these individuals Managers, Coaches and Teachers. Disclaimer Alert. Forget about titles here. Just because your title has coach in it doesn't make you one. These are descriptors, not titles.

1. Managers - Managers stand the least of any of the 3 types. They are, by nature intellectuals, studying every aspect of the game in which they manage. They will remove themselves from the group more often as well. You'll find them sitting at the end of the bench or dugout, almost as impartial observers. They see themselves as leaders, and their focus is to put each individual in the right place at the right time in order to succeed. They are Four-Star Generals sending their rank and file into battle with a specific understanding of what each player's and coach's role is in any given situation.
2. Coaches - Coaches are the least desirable of the 3 types. They are specialized, systematic and entirely too predictable. They're yellers. They can yell...a lot. They see themselves as leaders but players may have difficulty accepting them. They are capable of directing a team and may do a satisfactory job if the pieces all fit their mold but they can't adapt from whatever system they've adopted, so they have to have the right players, because they're not going to be able to teach them or manage them effectively.
3. Teachers - Call them hippies, gurus, or motivators but their players respect them, some even love them. They are the most engaged with their team, the most adaptable and most knowledgeable of the 3 types. Teachers are also students of the game, learning new techniques, trying new approaches and make playing the game enjoyable for their players. They may not always have the most wins, but they develop players and ultimately, that's what you're looking for at the youth level.

So now what?

Disclaimer Alert. If you're easily offended (and you know who you are) don't bother reading, following me or sending me email. I'm just going to laugh at you and move on because you simply didn't get it. Or if you're the heckler who thinks he's the headliner, go for it. I'll give you your 15 minutes, but I'm giving you your warning now. Again, we're all adults here, act like one.

So let's call this a guided tour. Maybe it's your journey into self-discovery as a coach or sports parent. Perhaps it's an outright wake up call, either way, we're on this ride together. But let's not limit ourselves on our trip. Some of the best times include some stops that weren't on the map or the days that got rained out. And don't expect that I'm going to follow any sort of schedule either, so I might post 3 days in a row and then not for a week, but sports and life are unpredictable right? 

"A good friend of mine used to say...Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes it rains. Think about that for awhile." - Bull Durham