National Coaches Day on October 6 honors the men and women who inspire us to work harder and do our best.
Across the country in every community, a coach organizes teams, plans practices and training, motivates players to strive to be the best they can be. At the same time, coaches pinpoint areas for improvement and supply guidance. Every sport or competition requires a leader. More importantly, a leader who knows the game and drives athletes to work together as a team.
Many coaches maintain a schedule for training, conditioning, and preparing athletes. Not only do they create these schedules for competition but also for their best health. Injuries sideline athletes and upset team dynamics. Although a coach's final goal is winning, they do so through a wealth of knowledge. Coaches work to build teams that bond well, too. They develop work ethics and set standards for their athletes that many carry with them throughout their lifetime.
For many athletes, coaches teach them to focus and how to reach a goal - which sometimes is not about winning. Sometimes the achievement is an improvement, playing by the rules or learning respect for others, themselves, or the game.
Coaches represent leadership, mentors, and inspiration. Often, a coach's words will echo through an athlete's mind for years to come. During difficult times, the words motivate them forward. Rarely do these coaches even know the impact they've had on an athlete until many decades pass. And athletes aren't the only people who benefit from coaches. In an academic setting, coaches lead individuals and teams in speech, chess, drama, and many other types of competition.
Did you have a favorite coach?
