Why do I coach?
The short answer: love it.
The long answer:
“How do I love thee, let me count the ways…” Elizabeth Barrett Browning
We hosted a camp this summer, and I swear that those younger kids learn in their sleep. They go home after day one and come back the next day able to do things they couldn’t do the day before – love it (thanks, parents, for sending us your kids for camp).
I talked to a parent about the recruitment process. His son didn’t have our school on his shortlist, and he chose to go somewhere else. I didn’t recruit him, but I did really enjoy getting to know his folks and answering their questions. I went through all this with my own sons and finally understood what the process is like on the parent side. I have all this experience, and it’s nice to be able to share it – love it (thanks Hall family).
My wife and I are in the stands at our son’s college game. We’re meeting a ton of new people but also seeing some familiar faces. One of my wife’s cooler buddies is there, and here’s the story: our son is a goalie, and our boys played club ball in the summers together. My wife wants him to save everything, and eventually she made her way away from the rest of the parents over to the corner. Of course, I am coaching and watching this from the sideline. Another dad is in the corner there with a cooler. He shares a cold beverage with her and explains how it would be pretty tough to save everything, sit down here and relax and enjoy the game. The lacrosse community is awesome – love it (thanks Patrick Clay).
Being part of a team of coaches and working hard together trying to win. Our program is so lucky to have the coaching staff that we do. Our assistant coach played in our program, and he is heart and soul into doing everything we can do to win. Our volunteer assistant actually volunteers. He drive in from another city every day to practice, offers guidance, wisdom, and counsel, because he loves being part of the team, and he loves to win – love it (thanks Christ Scheldt and Bruce Elder).
I’m still connected with teammates from my playing days and have been able to coach some of their sons. I get insights on our current team from them – they want so much for our program to win. When we can get together, it seems like yesterday when we reminisce about spring break shenanigans, past glory days games, midnight practices in the Dow Center, and our other teammates – love it (thanks Tom Theile, Tom Kuiper, Billy Cunnington, and all my teammates).
I used to work coaching for a summer program. Not only did we travel to Long Island, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, and Northern Michigan, but we made friends for life. Many of these kids grew up, and I was able to continue coaching them in college. What a treat to watch them grow – love it (thanks Kori Quinn).
The NCAA has a dead period after our five-week fall ball. Middle school basketball season fits into this time slot perfectly, so I’m still able to coach. Sports are great, and basketball is an excellent crossover sport to lacrosse. I have learned a tremendous amount about game planning, strategy, time management, communication, and player substitutions. I was fortunate to coach alongside my coach from middle school for years and have made some wonderful coaching connections – love it (thanks Coach Howard, Coach Cooke, Coach Rypstra, Coach Friesner, and Coach Liverance).
When I was a kid playing little league baseball and it was game day, I would wear my uniform pretty much as soon as I got up in the morning. All of it – cleats, stirrups, baseball pants with the elastic up over my calves, baseball undershirt, jersey, and a blue hat that rarely came off my head. I wore a hole in the inside of our garage by pitching a tennis ball over and over to the same spot. I couldn’t get enough ball then or now – love it (thanks Dad).
