Most in today’s world don’t have the self-awareness, bandwidth, or skill to be it, either.
“The most valuable asset to the youth athlete is the emotionally tuned coach who truly cares about them.
A real mentor who listens to them, validates them, builds a rich level of trust with them, & then just deeply CARES about them.
Those (few) people are THE difference makers.”
-Ray Zingler on X
In a fast paced, advanced tech driven world, do you know where the premium is found?
I’ll give you a hint.
It’s not in access to information.
It’s not in getting what you want right now.
It’s not even in that “new thing”.
It’s in caring about people, and in this case, kids.
And I don’t just mean the politically correct, it sounds good to say you care at the pot luck, kind of care..
I mean the real stuff.
I mean truly giving a shit about the kids and ensuring they know it, too.
Most coaches don’t do this anymore.
Life goes too fast, they’re “too busy”. They’re managing too many things, they have too many competing priorities. And before you know it, this year will come to an end and we’ll be on to the next thing next year.
This is precisely why coaches rarely take the time it takes to build relationships with the kids anymore.
In order to build these quality relationships (your only hope in earning the opportunity to get the most out of a kid) you must listen intently to the kids, you must validate them. And then from there, you must build a rich level of trust with them.
Most people can’t even make it to the listening to them part.
But then after you take the time to evolve the level of trust required to reach somebody, the real work begins.
You have to care.
You have to show up, follow up, and follow through.
You have to hold them accountable.
You have to help them evolve their standards.
You have to make a difference.
And you don’t get to do any of this by simply showing up or filling a role.
If you want to be the best you can be for the kids under your care, your title of “Coach” (that unless you work for yourself, another adult gave you) means nothing unless it is put into relentless use for the betterment of the kids.
They only need one person. One coach to believe in them.
And most won’t be that person for them.
They don’t have self-awareness, organization, time, or skill to be a difference maker.
Will you be that person for them?
