Blogs

I recently received an email asking for prayers for Coach Brad, a coach I know through the local basketball league. Coach Brad underwent his second surgery to remove a tumor that emerged only weeks after a clean PET scan.  The news of the tumor was disheartening to his family and the many of us who have fought the battle against cancer.  I lost my husband to cancer seven years ago and in the wake of that devastating event  there emerged to me a clear call to action:  Barbara, DO SOMETHING!  And I did.

There are tens of thousands of well-meaning coaches in youth and high school athletics/activites across this nation. Being placed in a position of influence and power over young people, however, requires - to borrow from the Hippocratic oath - that coaches first do no harm, and hopefully do some good. Unfortunately, the sad fact is that many will be remembered by their players for all the wrong reasons.

This past year has been crazy, and left me in much the same condition. Since this past downhill racing season began, I have not seen my son for more than a few days at a time. Every weekend is another race.  Last weekend was Kewlona, next weekend is Salt Spring, the weekend before last was Mt. Washington, and the weekend after next is Calgary. I think. 

Officials sometime make the mistake of explaining a rule to a coach in response to a coach's comment or question on a call. There is inherent risk in using rules interpretation as a communication tool.  Firstly, it takes the official's attention away from the players on the court. Secondly, it gives the coach too much information and opens the door for trouble. A coach friend of mine recently challenged an official asking why he did not call a lane violation on a 6'3 player who was gaining advantage by dwelling in the key. The official responded by explaining the rule at length. The problem was, the coach knew the rule better than the official. The verbose and incorrect explanation by the official hurt the crew's credibility on virtually every call in the game.

I have really been feeling the heat lately, both literally and figuratively.

It began when I travelled to the steambath that was Williamsburg, Virginia last weekend to give two talks to over 1,000 parents of some of the most elite high school football players in the nation attending a four-day training camp, and the heat didn't let up when I returned to my office this week.