“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
~ Charles Dickens
December Word of the Month
COACH
(Noun)
A coach is also an expert who trains someone learning or improving a skill, esp. one related to performing
I don't particularly love any of the definitions that I found when I Googled COACH.
To me a COACH is someone who helps another person become the best version of themselves that they can be.
This weekend Susan and I watched McFarland,USA. In the film,Kevin Costner portrays a High School coach working in a very poor immigrant community. Being the white guy who really doesn't fit in, he faces all sorts of challenges , including winning the respect of his students.They call him "Homes"(as in homeboy), Blanco (meaning whitey) and by his last name White. There comes a transitional point in the movie where one of the more vocal team members ,responds to him and refers to him as Coach.
It's a touching and poignant moment.
Coach!
The title brings validation to all of his efforts
All that he and his family has sacrificed now had meaning.
This moment in time resonated strongly with me.
More than once in my life I have been "Coach".
To this day, I run into former players of mine,who still call me Coach when they see me. Players whose teams I coached decades ago.Time doesn't seem to matter to them. After all of the years that have passed, I am still Coach to them.
For me, I can't imagine a more endearing term.
The title is more than validation. It is edification. It raises me to a place of respect.
It reminds me that in some small way I had a role in them becoming the better versions of themselves.
I am both honored and humbled at the same time when I hear "hey Coach!"
Maybe that's why I was attracted to life coaching.
Maybe COACH is another part of my WHY?
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