The Value of Sport

The Value of Sport - Paul Kilgannon

Paul Kilgannon is a teacher, coach, coach developer and author. He is the creator of the CARVER Coaching Framework which is used internationally by coaches across multiple sports. 

The Coach as the Key to Unlocking the Value of Sport

Covid 19 may have taught (or re-taught) many of us the true value of sport both for ‘the viewer’ and ‘the doer’. Level 5 restrictions have allowed elite-level sport to continue. My understanding is that some of the logic behind this is to give ‘the viewer’ something to look forward to watching  at the weekend, as well as something to talk about, and think about, during the week. 

In many ways the elite sportsperson has increasingly become the modern day gladiator- there to entertain the people and add colour to their ‘new normal’. Sport is entertainment and to many, sport is an industry. Level 5 restrictions have also allowed for non-contact underage sports training to continue. And so, in the midst of a global pandemic, government has appreciated and acknowledged the value of sport for both ‘the viewer’ and ‘the doer’. In this piece I will write to ‘sport for the doer’. Sport ‘of the people, for the people and by the people’.

Sport that is not about money and media and dramatisation in order to captivate ‘the viewer’. I will talk to the sport I am involved in… ‘ordinary sport’, but as with everything- the ordinary can be extraordinary. I will aim to talk to the ‘ordinary coach’. I too am an ‘ordinary coach’. I must acknowledge that many of you, although ‘ordinary coaches’, may well, knowingly or unknowingly, be ‘elite coaches’. There can be a significant difference between ‘elite-level coaching’ and ‘elite coaching’. Many non-elite coaches, coach at elite-level, while many elite coaches, coach at non-elite level and can be found helping out the U-6’s or taking the local U-14B team….’ordinary coaches’. So what is the value of ‘ordinary sport’ and the ‘ordinary coach’? What does sport and coaching offer society and are we maximising their potential for good? It is said that the coach needs the player, but the player doesn’t necessarily need the coach. This is technically true, but I feel increasingly in today’s society the ‘ordinary coach’ holds the key to unlocking the extraordinary potential of ‘ordinary sport’. 

They are the ones who curate the conditions which allow the good stuff to happen. Here I aim to raise awareness of the power, potential and scope for the ‘ordinary coach’ to do extraordinary good. Sport, at its most morally praiseworthy, is a place of human endeavour. It is a place where learning and development comes about through challenge. Sport is a place to explore the limits of human potential and to maximise what we have been given. At its most moving and noble, sport doesn’t have to involve cups, medals and money & It can, and should, provide the opportunity to both exhibit and develop great moral courage, to find enjoyment, connection and meaning. Those with influence in sport hold significant societal sway. Traditional wisdom tells us that being involved in sport is good for our youth, but are we maximising its potential? 

Sport must offer a place for everyone: from the elite to the recreational, from the gifted to the not so gifted. Sport is not just for the talented, the champions

and the early developers. ‘Ordinary sport’ must be for everyone and from this environment the individual will emerge to find their level if coached appropriately. If a club or team is not affording its young members adequate game-time it is fundamentally failing in its primary purpose of being a place for members of its community to play the sport in question. Yes, I appreciate the challenges involved in this, but ‘the way’ becomes much clearer if we understand our ‘why’. Sport is for everyone, especially so ‘ordinary sport’, if the ‘ordinary coach’ is strong enough to lead the way and unlock its potential. Sport can be the antidote for many of society’s ills: obesity, mental health

issues and addiction. Sport provides endless opportunity, and opportunity is the mother of all learning and development. For me, the primary role of sport is to teach young people lessons for life: ‘Try your best, learn as you go, improvement comes through challenge and application, stick together, learn how to win and lose with dignity’. Sport should be a vehicle to help people ‘get better’ at life, develop themselves and strengthen their constitution for this world.  

When the learner is guided properly, sport gives them the opportunity to develop mental and physical resilience, character, communication and teamwork skills, as well as leadership qualities. This all sounds idyllic; however, the reality can often be the opposite when the leadership isn’t competent. Sport can often be about the negatives of elitism, aggressive and disrespectful behaviour, abusive supporters and so on. I know this because at one time or another, I was either part of that, or at least a relatively willing bystander. Perhaps occasionally, I still am- passion can lead us astray.

As coaches and leaders it is our responsibility and challenge to lead with nobility and help maximise the value of sport. This is a big order! Yes, we need to be experts in our game (clearly the technical and the tactical elements of coaching are extremely important if we expect to retain the young (sportsperson) but we also need to be experts in leading by example, showing the way and educating those in our care. 

Sport needs us! As coaches we must help our athletes establish: why they play, how they want to represent themselves, their team and club, what sport can offer them and what it means to them? Their motives will anchor their strength and drive their passion. We must provide an environment that protects the weak, challenges the strong and ensures our athletes are treated with respect and afforded opportunity and challenged appropriately. We must create a climate where the athlete is allowed to express themselves, to extend themselves and to evolve their own style and personality. To quote ‘The Coaches’ Coach’ Liam Moggan, “If future generations are to be liberated and to thank us, we need to feed their passion and enthusiasm, and integrate fun and enjoyment into the wonderful world of sport. 

We need to encourage people to do something they enjoy, rather than be better at doing something than someone else”. The purpose of this piece is not rile against sport for entertainment. This certainly has a place and I am a grateful consumer…. I watch, I listen, I enjoy. But there is a balance that must be struck. Sport for the viewer’ can never become more important than ‘sport for the doer’ and our challenge as ‘ordinary coaches’ is to maximise sport’s potential for good by recruiting and retaining as many doers’ as possible. And I think to myself…. What a wonderful world.