What is coaching?

Coaching is so much more then an opportunity to improve individuals in the craft of their sport. Rather it's the chance to be a mentor to someone whom is perhaps lacking a positive mentor in their life. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING! I care about winning, it would be naive to say it's irellevant. Coaching is a results based profession, but at the same time I want to measure my largest victories as those I truly changed or helped become better people. I want my former players to understand I am here for them throughout any challenge life throws their way. Hopefully my mentorship has equipped them well to deal with those challenges. I feel too often people take little things too serious in our short time on earth. In the end you will be remembered for your personal character, how you treated others, and your personal relationships with others. I do not want to be remembered as the winningest coach, rather the greatest developer. To the left is a picture of Michigan State Head Basketball Coach Tom Izzo. Coach Izzo is known for being a fiery competitor who often is seen working through fiery exchanges with his players on the sidelines. To the blind eye this may seem to be a coach abusing his power. But a deeper look will tell you something quite the opposite. Izzo has such a strong and powerful relationship with his players that these intense moments are in reality two passionate individuals showing their passion. Izzo is known by his players to be a mentor whom puts himself on equal footing with his athletes rather than on a pedestal. While I'm far from the coach to get into a similar exchange with an athlete, Izzo's compassion, mentorship, and ability to relate to his players is something I respect and admire. At any level of sport, a coach only has so much time with his players before they move on in way or another. It's the coach's job to leave a lasting impact on his players in that short duration.