The Right Idea

I have been taking the WVSSAC coaching certification class. And I have to say that I am suprised. With all of the focus on winning or be fired from the middle school level to the college level, the focus of ASEP (American Sports Education Program) is still "Athletes first, winning second." ASEP is the national organization for certification of coaches for all levels of amateur competition. I have been very impressed with the idea of developing the athlete for life and not just the sport you are coaching. The statistics say that less that 1% of high school athletes will compete after high school. So the idea of developing the kids for life is right on.

With all of that being said, I wish that we would really use that philosophy. Too often coaches put kids in an unfair situation when putting their own ambition ahead of developing their athletes into responsible, confident adults.
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Thought for the day:

Security is not the meaning of life;
Great opportunity is worth the risk.

Shirley Hufstedler