We coaches
are trying to impart information to athletes. I have read 100s of books that I
believe have given me valuable information that can make me a better coach. I
have a master’s degree in exercise physiology and am working on a PhD. I search
the internet for new ideas. I love learning.
I love helping athletes by
sharing this information.
So why don’t they always understand
and absorb my information?
This is a quote from Paul’s
letter to the Corinthians (1Corinthinians Chapter 13, the Bible):
If I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a
clanging cymbal.
- New American Standard Version (1995)
My
translation: I have all these beautiful and wonderful things to say, but if I
cannot say them with love in my heart, I will not be heard, I will sound like
the teacher in the Charlie Brown (Peanuts) cartoons. Waaa waaa waaa
If you
haven’t seen the Peanuts cartoons, check this out.
What
does love have to do with coaching and education?
Depending
on the translation of Paul’s letter, charity is sometimes substituted for love.
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Corinthians_13
Chapter 13 … covers the subject of love… In the
original Greek, The word AGAPE is used throughout… This is translated into
English as charity in the King James version, but the word love is preferred by
most other translations…
…
So, according to the author, AGAPE:
is long suffering (i.e.
tolerant, patient)
is kind
is free of jealousy, envy and
pride
does not display unseemly
behavior
is unselfish
is not touchy, fretful or
resentful
takes no account of the evil
done to it [outwardly ignores a suffered wrong]
hates evil
is associated with honesty
protects
trusts
hopes
perseveres
triumphs
is greater than either faith or
hope
I believe that these are great
coaching characteristics. And the words superior, arrogant, and vain are not on
the list.
It is a daily challenge to
remember these things and LOVE my
athletes.
I have much work to do in this
area, but recognizing a weakness is the first step in overcoming it!
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