The Coach: Leadership for Excellence /The Successful Coach, an Exploration - Beliefs about Children

Designed/Produced by Peregrine Press for Amateur Softball Association

Author: Dr. Peter S. Pierro                                      

Copyright © Peregrine Press, 1987 

The Thrill of Being a Coach / Beliefs about Children

The second leg of the stool is our beliefs about the young athletes that we supervise. Some of my beliefs about my kids are already expressed within my coaching beliefs. 

Here are some others:

I believe that young people love to play games. Maria Montessori said that play is the serious work of young people. They like to test their physical limits; to see what they can do. They love to be associated with other young people in the enjoyment of the thrill of the game. They enjoy having caring adults share their joy of playing. The very young people will say, "Watch me, Dad, watch me, Mom, see what I can do!" The older ones want Mom and Dad in the stands rooting for them.

Youngsters are seekers, they want to know more about themselves and the game of softball, for example. I believe that each of us has great potential; our players are in the midst of developing and realizing their potential and we can assist them in their endeavor. I believe that each of us is a unique human being, we look different, we act differently, and to the point, we each bring different skills and abilities to the game. I believe that young people are dreamers and goal setters. They want to accomplish great things.

I believe also that they have great natural determination that we can squelch or we can help expand. And finally, I believe that youngsters are people with all of the rights and privileges to which all people are entitled.

Beliefs about Softball

This is the third and last leg of the stool, and I'll make this simple and quick. Softball is a great game; it is a fantas­tic way for people, young and old, to experience the joy of living and playing. It has been a building, sustaining element in my life and I have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy sharing it with young people.

Being a Successful Coach

I'm sure that one of your goals as a coach is to be a success. In a later tape I will give you the results of a survey in which players listed the qualities that they consider to be the marks of a good coach. It's a long list, but here are some of the essentials; They learn along with their players, they are models, and above all, they enjoy the kids and they enjoy coaching.

The Many Hats the Coach Wears

Yes, I know you wear a baseball cap, but you also have a lot of roles to play as the Coach. You must be a teacher and a learner. You can't be one without the other. It is always amazing to me when I realize how much I have learned from my coaching; how much I have learned with and from my players.

You also are a leader. Side #2 is devoted to the whole area of leadership. We have included a Leadership Inventory and the analysis of the inventory in the Program Booklet.  

And whether or not you want to be, you are a counsellor. Your players will talk to you, tell you things that are important to them. Parents will share some important information with you. You will be confronted with many decisions that have no direct relationship with how well you teach your shortstop to relay the throw to the plate from the outfield.

The Top of the Mountain

I believe that the greatest quality coaches can have is their ability to inspire their young athletes to do the very best they can. I love to watch coaches, such as Coach Pat Head Summitt of the University of Tennessee Woman's basketball team which won the 1986-87 NCAA Championship at New Orleans and Joe Paterno, football coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, 1986 NCAA Champions. 

But you don't have to be coach of a national championship team to be an inspirational leader. I assisted Dr. Ernie Sturch in coaching a Bambino League team in Durant, Oklahoma, for a couple of years. Over a span of 23 years, Ernie helped hundreds of kids to play their best, but over and above that those kids always felt their best with him around. He cared about every one of those kids and they knew it. He didn't always have the best team and win the most games, but he and his kids were always winners.

That's how it should be and that's how it can be.