Varsity Coaching (And Teaching) Is a HUGE Commitment

A couple of items came together in my brain over the last 24 hours...one was a conversation I had with a parent from Sherrard High School, and the other was a portion of a 10-Minute Teacher podcast I was listening to this morning.  The similarity in both items was a discussion regarding the commitment requirement of a dedicated coach/teacher.

And what was interesting about both conversations was an admission that if a person is going to do either job "RIGHT", the foundation of that effort is going to be a commitment by not only the individual but also the individual's family.  This was something early on in my career as a coach and a teacher, but it was really something that was modeled for me when I was growing up as a student and athlete at Rockridge.  My two primary role models in high school were Jim Gieseman and Frank Dexter.  They were intense individuals and very competitive, but they were completely dedicated to coaching and teaching.  The were willing to spend time with me before and after and everything in between.

This week, Sherrard is interviewing candidates for their varsity boys basketball position, so my discussion with the parent entailed the qualifications of the best candidate.  My input was that the best candidate will be the one that not only cares about the number of wins and success with his varsity team, but also with the level of success at the fresh/soph, junior high, and youth levels.  In addition, the best candidate will be someone who cares about fostering development in the off-season through spring and fall workouts for those athletes not involved in another school sport.  The summer months are also vital through high school summer league play, shootouts, and the school's summer camp for all levels.  Finally, there is a personal commitment to the athletes - helping them find their path after high school and helping them with personal and academic difficulties.

This kind of year-round success is also a commitment by the candidate's family.  Family events, vacations, celebrations all are planned around the program's schedule.  The coach is going to miss evenings and afternoons and is going to often have 12-hour days.  This is a commitment that many families aren't ready to embrace.

A good teacher also is committed in a similar fashion.  The good teacher is concerned about the middle school and youth levels.  The good teacher is concerned about her/his students' futures.  The good teacher attends professional development year-round and works to attend other events in the school.  Teaching too, then, involves a family commitment - also including 12-hour plus days.  There is sacrifice of time and energy that her/his family must embrace.

If you want to find a good candidate, find the candidate that understand the size of the commitment and has demonstrated previously experience and dedication towards that commitment.