But we are
not here to copy, imitate, or even try to better what has already been done. I
doubt I would have come up with this paradigm and put it into practice coaching
over the last 30 years in the youth, high school, and college level if I had accepted
the status quo from the beginning.
I can certainly see where people have their
doubts about us, and our programs. They just don’t see what we are doing
clearly, because it has always been done this way for them, to them, and with
them, over the last 30 years. In reality this time in their exposure to youth
and high school sports is only a micro second or a nano second in the history
of the world.
People seem to be having more doubts about
their own journey and goals while participating in youth and high school sports
than they used to. That is why they have so much angst and resist change all at
the same time.
But there is a growing undercurrent and sentiment
amongst players, coaches, parents, and organizations, that this paradigm is
flawed and there has to be a better way. We have a different model and I have
been successful with it in business, with my family, my personal life, teaching
in the classroom, and with coaching. Let me be clear here, I have made a
tremendous amount of mistakes along the way. I drank lots of “Kool-aid.” What I
have learned, I try and share. It’s about the journey and balanced excellence,
not immediacy and specialization. Show the kids how much fun an activity can be
and they will beat a path to your door.
Whether it
be the guy sitting on his front porch inventing the blues, the Cotton Gin, Herb
Brooks putting a team together different than has been done before, or Bill
Gates going into a garage with an idea, snowboarding, the internet, Columbus
sailing to a new world, true societal change has come through visionaries
willing to accept the risks involved with going against accepted principles,
because it was clear to them time had come for a change. Someone next to them,
above them, or beside them who just happened to come along at just the right
time and said, we believe, we have faith in you and trust that this is the new
way. They had faith. Their approach and ours too embraces risk, freedom, and
reward.
Now I am not saying I am like them, they are
legendary. But there is a parallel. There is a familiar concept we share. This
way is not working. Let’s look at an entirely different way to do things.
Our paradigm
can be summed up with this example. No one knows how to win a game in sports
and we can prove it. Yet, we as society anoint winners and therefore losers all
the time while not knowing how to win, how to teach it, and what winning really
means to those who watch, coach and play sports. That is a recipe for an
emotional firecracker. That is why we believe in staying in the moment, being a
great teammate, equal play for children under 12,play by performance for the
older kids, sportsmanship, and life
skills, balanced with multiple activities and academics,
The fee I charge
doesn’t cover the cost of what I do, but it’s not why I do it. It’s the next
door it opens, the next idea it puts in my brain, the next person I see get it.
Real payment comes in the joy on the children’s faces when they are given the
freedom to fail and succeed in a safe positive environment. That’s what drives
me.
Children learn from internal realization not
external force. My mentor has said it’s
going to take five years for our paradigm to be an overnight success. We will
see. People, who have doubted our program he says, will jump on the bandwagon
when it starts to roll. I certainly hope so.
Our mission
is based on a holistic organic approach to children’s long term physical and
mental well being. Short term always has a cost. I am continually asking people
who resist our paradigm, “What is it you are defending?” If you are so unhappy
with this journey why not try something different? It’s not our goal to decide
when, how, or even if the light goes on. Our job is to just keep flipping the
switch.
You see, I
am just the messenger the truth was already there.
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