Be a Good Coach

For about ten years in Southern California, I coached high school cross-country and track and field. It was a thrill to coach teenagers in sports that I loved so passionately. Tom Landry's definition of coaching echoes the sentiments I learned during my coaching tenure: getting people to do things they don't want to do.

Let's face it. How many teenagers really want to go run ten miles on a hot summer morning instead of sleeping in? How many people really want to run hill repeats during the October Indian Summer heat of San Diego? The thing is, though, you can't get the victory without the work. No one wins the Championship without logging all the miles.

As parents, we face a similar battle. We're constantly coaching our kids - asking them to do things they don't really want to do. I'm not just talking about the chores around the house either. I'm talking about the important stuff: studying the Bible, carving out quality time for prayer in a busy life and serving others when it requires sacrifice.

It's not just parents, though, who face this challenge. It's any leader in any church, family or organization. There is a lot we can learn from good coaches. John Wooden, probably the best coach who ever lived, died recently. John is remembered at least as much for his approach to coaching people and the impact he had on so many as the victories he racked up during his days as the Wizard of Westwood.

Let's learn how to be good coaches. Let's learn how to motivate people to do the tough things that don't seem very fun at first glance. Let's remind those in our lives that we don't get the victory without the hard work.