Presidents Message
 

Legacy and Learning

Fall 2008

 

Dave Johnson

Marshall School, Duluth, MN

President MSHSCA

 

Legacy

This summer the coaches association lost two very important members.  Dave Hylla of Proctor passed away at far too young of age.  As an association we grieve the passing of two coaches who really made a difference in our organization and most importantly in the lives of the student/athletes who they coached.  While reading the newspaper account of Dave Hylla’s death, I was struck by the emphasis that the writer placed upon the legacy that Dave had created.  Each interview with an athlete who had played for Dave focused on what Dave had done to help that person not just on the playing field but in life.

 

Coaching high school athletes is really much more than wins and losses, plays and drills, or training plans and workouts.  The core of what we do is to prepare young people for the challenges of adulthood.  Using sports as the vehicle, we have the opportunity to teach our athletes skills that will serve them well each day of their lives.  How well we understand this role will determine the legacy that we create for ourselves.

 

 If winning games at any cost is our priority then we teach our athletes that the ends justify the means.  If we allow disrespectful language to be used towards our opponents and referees then we teach our athletes that respect and good behavior can be turned off and on depending upon the situation that we find ourselves in.  If we belittle and discourage the efforts of our less skilled athletes then we teach the idea that only the “best” player’s efforts make a difference.

 

If on the other hand we coach our athletes to play for the love of the game and the joy of competition then we teach them how to win and lose gracefully.  If we enforce respectful language and behavior at all times and in all situations, then we teach our athletes the value of self control.  If we affirm the efforts of all players regardless of ability then we teach true teamwork.

 

What legacy are you building as a coach?  If a reporter were to interview your athletes today, what would they say about you?  To me the idea of building a legacy is both exciting and a bit daunting.  Building a legacy is something that I have almost complete control over.  I don’t have control over the skill level or athleticism of athletes that come into my program, but I do have control over the training plan and practices that I craft for those athletes.  I don’t have control over the opposing teams, but I can coach my players how to adapt to any circumstance that they find themselves in.  I don’t have control over the administration in my school or the parents of my athletes, but I do have complete control over my behavior, actions and words with those two important groups of people.

 

Learning

Each president of the MSHSCA is tasked to develop a president’s project.  My goal during this year as president is to increase the opportunities that our association offers for coaches’ education.  At the October 4th MSHSCA Delegate meeting I have invited Dr. Nicole LaVoi to speak to the delegates.  Dr. LaVoi’s research falls within the social psychology of sports. She enjoys working collaboratively with faculty and graduate students in the Tucker Center (University of Minnesota) and the Minnesota Youth Sports Research Consortium to answer critical questions that can make a difference in the lives of youth athletes — and particularly girls. Currently she is interested in the interpersonal qualities of the coach-athlete relationship, how sport parents influence their children’s psychosocial outcomes in youth sport — specifically the effects of background anger, and how parents and coaches together can create a moral-motivational sports climate.

Dr. LaVoi’s talk is titled “The Psychology of Coaching: Effective Motivational Strategies”.  For members unable to attend the delegate assembly meeting, Dr, LaVoi will be writing an overview article of her talk for the 2008-09 winter edition of the Prep Coach.