When you’re coaching kids, especially younger ones, it can drive you crazy. Literally. Crazy. There are days when you feel like you are managing the 1927 Yankees with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig anchoring your lineup. Then, there are days when you feel like you’re managing the Bad News Bears (more of these days than the others, I’m afraid). Managing Ruth and Gehrig convinces you that you’re something special, that you are bound for greatness and stardom as a coach. Then, the Bears show up and you get a strong dose of reality.
What’s a coach to do? For starters, remember than coaching young kids is often two steps forward and three steps backward.
That’s normal. It’s not easy. It tries your patience. It makes you pull out your hair. But, it’s normal.
So, when you have a great practice, enjoy it. Savor the moment and praise the kids on your team. When you have a bad practice, when they operate as if you have never taught them anything, chalk it up to the adventures in coaching kids and praise them for just being them, even if you don’t feel like it.
Coach, you don’t have to go insane. You aren’t defined by your coaching, no matter how good or bad you feel about it right now. You are defined by the love of Jesus Christ, demonstrated for you on the Cross of Calvary. You can’t win enough games to fill your soul. Only Jesus can do that. Then, you’ll be OK with two steps forward and three steps backward on the field. Mark it down. It’s truth.
I’m praying for you.
