Coaching is a part of my DNA.

This retirement gig is pretty gosh darn good!

Having said that, now that I have had a little more than a month of "the good life" under my belt, there are a couple of things that make me miss education ... the daily interaction with teens both on the court/pitch and in the classroom. Now, don't go panicking on my behalf, I won't be returning to full time teaching any time soon, but I have to confess that I am especially missing coaching ... more than I thought I would.

I felt drawn to education from a very early age, but in my later high school years, I got sidetracked by the possibility of following in my father's medical footsteps, but I realized early in my university years that I wasn't interested in the academic discipline needed for Med School. I even spent a short time in business, running a hotel/restaurant/nightclub in Kingston right after graduating from Queen's, but I soon came to see that education was the career path for me.

I have often told people that the only way to get paid for coaching young people in Canada was teaching, though, to be truthful, I would have done it for a lot less than my teacher salary. With that in mind, I feel strongly that, while I was never up for any Teacher of the Year awards, I was a good teacher who fully earned my wage, each and every year. Many pundits claim that learning to teach helped make then better coaches ... for me, it was the exact opposite. IMHO, I was a great coach who used those skills and abilities to become a better teacher. It made perfect sense, to me, to coach as much as possible and I am very proud of my 30 years of 3 seasons (at minimum) a year.

During those 30 years I developed some thoughts on coaching that I wished someone would have shared with me early in my career because they directly apply to teaching as well. Here's my top 10:

1. I believe, with 100% of my soul, that a good coach wakes up excited to get to work coaching. They may have varying levels of excitement, and even have some “off” days, but a good coach loves what they do. I was always hyped to get to the time of day when I could work with my athletes.
2. A good coach loves the athletes/people they work with. They acknowledge that everyone is different and unique, that they will connect more with some than others, but they also respect the path that everyone is on. TBH, if you don't like the athletes you're working with, step aside and let someone else have a go. Everyone involved will be happier.
3. A good coach constantly seeks out ways to connect with athletes, understanding it’s not just about X’s and O’s but rather, the communication and dialogue that goes on between him/her and their athletes. If the communication breaks down, there'll a problem. There are tons of easy ways to stay in touch with your athletes ... A good coach makes sure everyone is on the same page.
4. Young people are different today than they were 10 years ago, so a coach can either groan and moan about it, or can work to find ways to relate to them. Like any relationship, coaching comes down to three things: communication, trust and respect ... and this is a two-way street ... video yourself at practice to see if you're holding those three truths close to your chest.
5. A good coach understands that athletes are easy to guide. They come in full of motivation and energy, seeking assistance, looking for guidance, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, they want to have fun! A good coach understands that there will be rough spots to iron out since both the coach and athletes are Alphas and are used to being in charge. The challenge will always be getting Alphas to work cooperatively for the greater good. In my experience, the teams that do this well hoist trophies and banners at season's end.
6. Good coaches actively seek their coaching style. Every coach has different interests, personalities, and even senses of humour. If anyone tried to coach like someone else, they would come off as fake or contrived. Even if the coaching is deemed successful early-on, a good coach allows his/her true personality shine through, trusting instincts and focusing on developing his/her coaching ability after the athletes have gone home. I often found the time was split in a 2:1 ratio of practice to planning/learning.
7. STOP TRYING TO BE PERFECT! A good coach admits they made mistakes in the past, that they are making mistakes now, and will make mistakes in the future, but treats those mistakes as an opportunity to learn and progress. If a coach is unwilling to own his/her mistakes, his/her athletes will learn that too, and the team's performance will suffer. A little humility goes a long way.
8. Nothing is worse than a coach who thinks/acts like they know everything. It comes back to humility ... there’s so much information that is readily accessible out there, it’s overwhelming. If you get great results, that's awesome, but keep in mind that the second any coach acts like his/her crap doesn’t stink, his/her athletes will sniff it out immediately and rough patches are sure to follow. Involve your athletes in the decision making ... there's a great chance they'll surprise you ... because the ownership breeds confidence and that leads to success.
9. Realize that coaching is a life-long process and a good coach is never done learning/improving. Some of the things that I believe most strongly in, I learned halfway through my coaching career. It would be awesome if I could have known more in the beginning but the process of learning only comes with the investment of time. Still, some mentoring would have gone a long way!
10. Good coaches are competitive and that's not a character flaw. That "itch" percolates through life and they understand their athletes through it. As my dearly departed father share early on, "That's why they keep score - someone has to win - it might as well be you." Having said that, a good coach never loses sight that it really is all about the athlete's enjoyment, and if you do things correctly, the "DUBS" will find you.

I must confess that I have not completely abandoned coaching.

I recently had discussions with the Georgian College Varsity Coordinator and Men's Rugby Head coach about returning to the sidelines of Massie Field in the fall of 2020. Under the leadership of Head Coach John Daggett, the Grizzlies have become the premier program in the OCAA, winning an OCAA medal in the last 5 consecutive seasons ... with all humility, 5 seasons I have been an assistant ... and it is a very satisfying experience.

Once a coach, always a coach.