Is it more than just the scoreboard -the paycheck?

Coaching For Excellence is a a necessity for those of us working in the High School Arena

There is no way what shows up on the scoreboard is the whole picture.
Leadership Development, Academics, Discipline, Resilience, Persistence, Contribution to the community among a few items are all things that can be fostered through a great program of athletics.

Producing a group of ego-maniacs that feel that they should be served instead of serving others is a travesty to the legacy of the coaching profession.

My intent is to produce whole people, through athletics, and in my case through what I believe to be the purest sport in the world- High School Wrestling.

I don't know who wrote this but I am willing to give them credit.

"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." when adversity strikes, it often feels like we are plunged into a dark void from which we will never emerge. But often when things are the darkest, the stars come out and shine their light upon us. Everyone experiences darkness; everyone goes through rough times. What's important to remember is that rough times are foundations for future progress. Every type of adversity contains within it lessons that can be harnessed to fuel your success in the future. When adversity strikes, it can tear us apart, or it can build us up so that we can face whatever else life may bring. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

In my 35 years of coaching over 100 sport seasons I have seen so much success in a number of sports.
I can't tell you how disappointing it is to see the profession I have given my life to produce coaches who direct kids that it is alright to feel like they are entitled to everything, just because they participate in a state championship team. I have seen it too many times. I have seen their productivity as citizens stop, and they live on the fumes of the state championship. They don't contribute to the community they go on the gravy line and wait for others to do for them. Their ego sometimes gives me a sad feeling that they could be so much more. We have so much more opportunity to help these athletes grow and some of us are not doing it.

We are letting our future citizens down, because unless they are taught and led and directed they will follow the line of least resistence. Caring only for themselves and not willing to help others or be productive citizens of society.

We see it every day in every professional sport. It is the sad part of what has happened to sports in this country. Just check out the news of the last couple of days, Steroids, Illegal Dog Fighting, Who knows what else.

Where does it start, it starts from the bottom rung, the little kids programs, and then the Olympic programs and just recently another allegation of doping. How many sports, Football, Baseball ,even golf not willing to work off of the talent that God gave them they are looking for the quick fix and will do it with drugs and chemicals if necessary.

A sad commentary for those of us in the Coaching profession, we know what goes on with our kids, it is our responsibility to guide the attitude, the discipline, the expectations and the goals for which these young men and women aspire to.

Do we teach them that it is just the scoreboard , which then translates into the paycheck and the perks and the attitude and the lack of servitude.

My Sermon for the day.

Coach Bodnar
"grappling for excellence" Hopefully within the rules
Comments to : coachbodnar@gmail.com