-J.C. Watts, Jr.
Football is a physical game. It requires strength, speed and skill. Football is a mental game too. It requires discipline, mental toughness and mental preparation. Recently, my junior high football team lost a close game. It wasn’t due to the physical part of the game as both teams were equally matched. The loss resulted from a lack of mental preparation. We fell behind early in the game, because we were not prepared to play at the start of the game. The lack of preparation resulted from a distracting bus ride to the game. As a player, the bus ride to the game is the pinnacle of mental preparation. It’s a time for solitude manifested through prayer, self-reflection and mental rehearsal.
My assistant coaches, who rode the bus to the game, advised me that we had players fooling around on the bus. These players were not mentally preparing themselves for the game, and the result was a distraction for the other players. The following day at practice, I advised the team that I was not upset with the loss, as much as I was upset that we were not ready to play, and it showed! I informed the team that I was bothered that a few players chose to disrupt the bus ride. However, what was more troublesome to me was that 38 other players lacked the initiative to “do the right thing.” I informed them that people generally fail to "do the right thing" for one of four reasons: 1) fear – they lack the fortitude to confront the issue; 2) bystander apathy - they believe someone else will address it; 3) they simply don’t care; or 4) it’s so much easier to not have to do the right thing.
Participating in a sport provides an athlete an opportunity to learn several lessons about life. Besides teaching the fundamentals of a sport, it’s equally important to me as a coach that I teach fundamentals about life. The “bus ride” provided me with an opportunity to teach a lesson about life. At the beginning of our next practice, the team was told the entire practice would consist of grueling conditioning drills. I advised them that their lack of initiative to "do the right thing" had personal consequences as well team consequences. I told them that in our society when someone witnesses an injustice and doesn’t “do the right thing,” their inaction not only weakens the fabric of society, but it also weakens their character. I asked them if a friend is picking on a classmate, would they have the fortitude to “do the right thing?” What about if someone was spreading rumors; would they "do the right thing?" I told them that it was my intent that the practice would serve as a reminder to them to always “do the right thing.” Prior to starting the conditioning drills, I said, “Team, I guarantee this will be a practice you’ll never forget.
As practice progressed the team was showing signs of fatigue. Midway through practice, a player by the name of Tyler asked to speak to me. Tyler advised me that he tried to stop the players from fooling around, but they would not listen to him. He apologized to me because he felt that maybe he could have done more. An assistant coach verified that he saw Tyler try to talk to the players fooling around. Tyler was told that the grueling nature of the practice was not an attempt to punish anyone. Instead, the practice was designed to teach each player a lesson about “doing the right thing.” Tyler was advised that because he tried to do the “right thing,” he could be dismissed from practice. Tyler responded, “Coach, this a team and I’m doing every drill with my team.” Tyler stayed at practice and participated in the remaining drills with his team.
At the end of practice, while addressing the team, I told the team that Tyler and I talked about his conversation with the players foolinhg around. His disclosure was not an attempt to get out of the conditioning drills. Rather, he offered me an apology for not doing more. The team was told that Tyler had the option to be dismissed from practice because he tried to “do the right thing,” but he declined to do so because he was part of the team and team hadn’t finished practice. The team was advised that Tyler had a true understanding of what teamwork is all about: it’s never about one player, it’s always about the team. Tyler opted to endure the difficult conditioning drills for the sake of his team. Once again, Tyler “did the right thing.”
Tyler, an eighth grader, demonstrates what many adults lack today; that being character. Are we willing to put our teams, be it family, work teams or civic teams, above our own interests? Are you willing to take the initiative to do what is right, despite the consequences. I have no doubt, that as an adult, Tyler will become successful in his professional, personal and civic life. Why? Because Tyler “Gets it.”
In concluding my address to the team, I asked each player to tell the team what they learned from the practice. It was inspiring to listen to the words of young men who learned a few lessons about life that day. Most of the players talked about embracing hard work, the need for preparation, finishing strong, teamwork and more importantly, the importance of "doing the right thing."
And, by the way, since that practice, I keep hearing from the players, "Coach, that was a practice "I'll never forget."
Neither will I!
It's your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it
MJD
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