With access to the hearts and minds of our youth, coaching is a critical form of ministry with life altering implications.
“Coaching is not only a privilege, it’s a great responsibility.
Step 1 is understanding it’s not about you.
Step 2 is understanding you have access to the hearts & minds of our youth.
Step 3 is understanding the depths of steps 1 & 2 and adjusting your behavior accordingly.”
-Ray Zingler on X
If you sit there for a minute, hell even just a few seconds and think about the concept of coaching, especially coaching young people, you’ll quickly recognize how monumental of a privilege and responsibility it is.
And Coaching is far less about “what you coach” and far more about understanding the depth of your influence potential.
It’s not about football, tennis, or weights. It’s quite literally a form of (critical) ministry work in which you have access to the hearts and minds of young people.
And regardless of the angle you view it from, there is no way to dumb down the significance of having this type of access.
Access that many adults have, but don’t at all deserve as they go through the motions letting days, weeks, months, & years pass by en route to retirement when they could be hyper focused on changing the trajectory of a life.
You don’t accidentally change a life just by checking the “good deed” box.
Worse yet, there are coaches out there who are egotistical assholes who not only ruin our kids experiences, but leave them with lasting mental & emotional identity issues.
It’s the craziest thing in the world to me that people like this have jobs, when the only reason their job title exists is BECAUSE of the kids.
The kids will forever be the most important aspect of the equation. It’s important to never forget that.
Step 1 of coaching is to understand that it’s not about you. The lights aren’t on you anymore. You’re in the background now making THEM the star of the show so that THEY can get the credit. If you’re not okay with this, coaching will forever be beyond you.
Step 2 is again, understanding that you have access to the hearts and minds of young people. Does anymore need to be said? I mean honestly? Read that statement again.
Step 3 is understanding the depths of steps 1 & 2 and adjusting your behavior accordingly.
A great coach can quite literally change the current experience and trajectory of a human life. Again, it’s not about coaching basketball for a few years. It’s about influencing the quality of an existence, while a bad coach can do the opposite.
Choose who is coaching your kids wisely.
Their lives depend on it.
