Youth and young adults are in a crucial part of their life.

They are trying to figure out

who they are and where they fit in. Many of them may not have positive influences in their life.
Coaching allows that coach to play a vital role in their athletes lives and it is up to the coach
rather it is a positive or negative one. Being a coach sets one up to teach discipline and
selflessness that can carry someone a long way. Athletes are also playing the sport because they
love it and they have fun playing it. For many athletes it could be their escape from reality.
Coaches get to help the athletes continue to have fun playing the game they love while also
teaching them new skills and lessons. I personally love the game with everything in me and have
had some of my best memories out on the field. I have never found anything as fun as the game
of softball. Being able to instill, flourish, or see that same passion in young athletes is my new
favorite feeling. Watching it all finally click in their eyes, seeing their relief when hard work pays
off, and excitement when they have made it through adversity is a feeling I cannot describe.
One of the most important thing to instill into athletes is that winning is not all that
matters but how one wins is what matters. Playing the best that one can and winning the right
way is the correct way to play. This leads to teaching discipline not only on the field but off the
field as well. It also does not condone cheating while playing the game or in life. Learning to be
the best me I can be helps athletes succeed in these two areas. Since athletes play for the love
of the game this should not be a hard concept to buy into. Athletes who play under me will learn
to take pride in how they compete on the field and in life. After games we will assess if we
played our best ball or not no matter what the scoreboard says. They will also know what the
meaning of hard work is and the success that comes along with it. Every athlete is different and
will be reached in a different way but all will be treated fairly. I will help them buy into this
concept by demonstrating it myself daily, showing them that I genuinely care for them not just
my win column, and by holding them accountable.
I prefer to be a cooperative style coach rather than a command style coach or a lazy
coach. Instead of having an all-black and white method I allow the athletes to help in some
decision making. For example, finding what works best for them when trying to call a certain
defensive play. I also will watch them and see if they can grasp my methods or if we need to try
something else. When it comes to the physical part of the game I like to demonstrate what I am
asking of them and I believe good repetition is key. One thing I pride myself on is that my
athletes have a better understanding of the game and how it is played when they leave. A way to
make this happen is to put them in situations that make them have
to learn the game in a new way. Also when they have questions I like to talk through it with them
and see where their head is and get it to where I feel it needs to be. I cannot say I am a
continually yelling coach but I will yell if I find it fitting for the situation.
In order to be an effective coach one must not only be a good teacher but also a good
listener. Receiving positive or negative feedback from the athletes and other coaches is a helpful
way to assess ones self. After receiving feedback, I am able to see what is not working, what is
working, and improve from there. Seeing a change that needed to happen and the athletes being
successful using my methods are a few ways to tell that my coaching style is effective. Seeing a
positive change in the athletes attitudes or grades are big wins off of the field. Another way to
see what is working and what is not is to video practices and games. Doing this I am able to see

how the athletes responded to what I am teaching that day or situations that came up during a
game. This also provides the athletes a visual to look back at and learn from. A personal way one
can know if their coaching is effective or not is to have strangers randomly come up and tell you
what they see or feel. Some coaches are approached in a negative way because the stranger does
not agree with their coaching style while others are approached in a positive way because they
agree with their coaching style.
My faith plays a big part in the way I chose to coach. Caring more for the athletes lives
more than I care about my win column is because of God. A relationship with Christ has shaped
my moral and ethical standards. I will keep a professional relationship with the athletes and do
my best to live out what I ask of them to live out. This is also why I harp on discipline in many
areas of life and on the field because Christ calls us to be disciplined. God gave us this life and
the skills to play ball. We owe it to Him to strive to be the best we can be for Him, in order to
bring Him glory. Not only will I keep a professional relationship and show the athletes that I
genuinely care for them, but I will also do the same with my other coworkers. Living like Christ
is not something to just be turned off when in a different scene and around different people, but
to be lived out no matter what. Being a Christian coach is more than just coaching the sport but
also coaching in life. Coaching gives a great opportunity to be a positive influence in an athletes
life and to make disciples for God

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