And I’m not just talking about training and sports.
“There are some men who have the capacity to build & lead other people.
There are some little boys trapped in men’s bodies who assert their dominance & find pleasure in tearing kids down.
There are far fewer of the former & far more of the ladder than you’d like to think, too.”
-Ray Zingler on X
Growing up playing sports my whole life and then being on the other side, owning a business in the industry, working with thousands of families from all different walks of life, playing any and every sport you can think of at every level, I’ve never heard of anyone not crossing paths with a coach who took from them, far more than they gave them.
This is true from 8U Rec Soccer to P5 SEC Football.
You look at it from afar, as a rational human being and think to yourself… What is the point?
Why do you have to be an asshole, when you could simply be kind and build others up? It seems far more effective.
After all, these “coaches” are in a field that is literally defined as “not being about self”. Yet they make it about themselves and their ideologies and athletes (you know, the whole reason the coaching occupation exists) lose because of it.
I mean it’s crazy to me and the thousands of others I’ve spoken with who have dealt with immature coaches drawing from their children’s cups as opposed to filling them.
Why are there so many coaches like this? (1 is too many)
The reason is ego.
The ego is dangerous in any environment.
Now let the ego be fueled by an emotionally charged, competitive environment that is sport?
You’ve done started a forest fire.
Many of these guys, (who were often failed or mediocre athletes) “take pride” in not leadership (they couldn’t hit leadership with a football bat), but the sense of power that can come from coaching.
They have the ability to dictate others and that makes small people feel good.
For more information on Power and how to attain it/avoid idiots seeking it, check out Robert Greene’s fantastic work, “48 Laws of Power”.
There is a stark difference between leadership and forced conformity.
Any adult can force an athlete to conform when they threaten them with punishment/lack of playing time, but is that really the best way to reach athletes?
Fear based coaching is the strategy used by immature little boys.
The real ones are leading and BUILDING kids from the ground up.
Choose who’s coaching your kids wisely.
It matters today & more importantly well beyond.
