So before our women's game tonight, I sat down and had a conversation with one of our assistant coaches. She was in tears because she feels her team doesn't trust her coaching ability. She's got athletes complaining to the head coach, girls not responding in practice and others threatening to transfer. Why? Because she wants them to work had.
When was it stated to kids that working hard wasn't that big a deal anymore? Seriously, it is a problem. I think it's trickled down over the years. I have no doubt that my parents generation worked harder than my generation does today. But kids now a day want instant satisfaction. We live in a world where everything is "user friendly." People just expect to be good at something, or they expect everything to go the way they want it to.
NEWS FLASH:
Being a D-I athlete is a job. It is very difficult work, long hours and sometimes with no positive results. You become a D-I student-athlete for different reasons, the first being an education (well, it should be the first). The second reason should be your love of your sport.
Coaches come in all types. Some demand hard work. Others cater to each athlete individually. It really just is up to the coaches' personality. But why cater to everyone? Why not be hard of fist, like our buddy Norman Dale? Good ol Norman didn't back down to his kids. And coaches shouldn't have to. Now, I'm not saying pull a "Bobby Knight" and choke a kid. But demanding more in the field of play is needed.
Coaches yell. That is what they do. They don't yell because they hate the kids or don't believe in them. They yell because they see so much opportunity, yet little results. There are kids out there that would kill for scholarships to D-I A schools. They'd give anything to have their school paid for, or to have the right to participate at that level. Hell, if I could go back and be a kid again, I would DEMAND my parents help me become a better athlete.
There are millions of ways of motivating people, but I think athletes should expect a little chirp in their ear if they aren't performing. If I was slacking off at work, I'd expect for someone to yell at me. Even if I was working hard, but wasn't doing a great job, I'd expect my boss to say something to me. It's part of life. We all need our weaknesses pointed out. It is the desire to improve on those that sets people apart.
And no, I'm not getting into the whole "should athletes get paid" debate. That is for another time.
Oh, the guitar came in yesterday. It is tuned, I have my dvd lessons and I am ready to rock people!