During the Winter Break I have been into the school on a few occasions to run practices with my basketball team. While in the school I noticed that a number of other teams were also practicing. I think it is great that many of our teams are staying active during the holidays and preparing for the second half of their respective seasons. But, the truth is that for every team that is practicing over the holidays, there is a coach who is dedicating personal time to his or her players. Amongst the other Delta Secondary School coaches that I missed while I was in, Ms. Trotman, Mr. Griffing, Mr. Thompson and Mr. Wait, your passion for coaching kids is unquestionable.
All over the world, there are teachers and coaches who share the same dedication, coaching their teams through practices, games and in some cases traveling with their teams to international tournaments during the holidays. They all do it because they are passionate about coaching, have high expectations and are committed to their players, but it does not negate the fact that it comes at the expense of their personal time.
So, to all of you who have spent time volunteering your precious holiday time to coach, I salute you on your dedication and commitment to your players. Thank you for doing all that you do!
Thanks for your post, Aaron. Extra-curricular athletics can be an incredible learning experience for a significant number of students. So many important life lessons can be learned through sport and through the athlete-coach relationship. Without dedicated and caring coaches who are willing to make the personal and often family sacrifices to give students a chance to play, none of it happens. I have a great deal of respect and appreciation for the men and women who extend their role as teachers into the gym, the playing field or onto the court. Put simply, "they are gold!"
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