Wins First, Kids Later (maybe)
They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words. That makes this video worth 8,351,463 words:
This man, Jim Leavitt - head coach of the South Florida Bulls - is a virtual carbon copy of my former coach. They even look similar. The only difference is, instead of wind sprints in full coaching gear, my coach would sprint about two miles around the track before our games and not shower. (I think he was trying to work off his nervous energy…afraid of what may happen during the game…perhaps losing control. More on this later.)
Some people watch these types of theatrics and laugh. Others admire the intensity.
Not me.
I understand how his methods can win games. I also understand how they can destroy your spirit and any fun you had playing a game.
The ranting and raving, the sneering, the berating…all very motivational. Why? Because you are scared to death of what will happen if you mess up. No one wants to be gawked at as if they are the scum of the Earth for making a mistake.
Sure, you will listen for a while. You work extra hard initially to avoid being singled out. Then you work just hard enough to avoid the most volcanic tirades. Then you begin tuning out. Then you don’t care…you just sort of find a way to make it through a practice or a segment or a game.
In my playing days I was far from mature enough to understand what was going on. (I was between 17 and 21, after all.) Mainly, though, I couldn’t figure out why my coach hated me so much. I had a great freshman year and proceeded to get injured often in successive seasons. This led to my coach not even acknowledging my existence…apparently because I was of no use to him on the sideline.
***
A couple days ago I had lunch with someone who is a head coach at FSU. Somehow we meandered into discussing football and found ourselves agreeing that the college football system, as it currently exists, is letting down the kids who play. The universities and the fans need wins. Wins create revenue and bowl games and Nike contracts and satisfied boosters. The coaches feel that pressure. In turn, growing boys into men is forgone for the shortcuts leading to the desired level of production. Often these kids - particularly blacks - don’t even graduate.
As a head coach, I would be ill “earning” so much money at the peril of my players. Not every kid can be saved, of course, but what is the point of going to college? What is the point of coaching? To teach or to win? Both, I suppose, but to what degree? What responsibilities does a coach have when given absolute authority for four of the most formative years of life?
I have to say I am disappointed in the system, but realize I am also part of the problem. I also want to root for a winner and wear my Michigan or Albion gear with pride.
Tony Dungy has proven that a head coach can be full of the love of Christ and be successful in the “win” column. This had me thinking about why more coaches aren’t willing to take his approach. Why not try earning these kids’ love and respect initially in order to help them reach their potential? Perhaps the simple answer is that you can’t give what you don’t have. If you don’t know Christ it is next to impossible to try to “love someone” into working hard and doing things the right way. Motivating by fear is efficient in the short-term and does not require trusting anyone else, particularly Christ.
It really makes me sad…sad for the experience I’m certain these players are having. Learning that success can only be achieved by not making mistakes is a terrible concept to have ingrained. I long for more Dungys. I long for people that look at someone like Jim Leavitt and stop to say, “what’s going on with this guy?”
If you are interested in this topic I recommend Season of Life and Tony Dungy’s autobiography.
Tags: Jim Leavitt, football, Tony Dungy, love, fear, motivation
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