Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Teacher-Coach

Below is a favorite poem of the legendary John Wooden, who coined the term "Teacher-Coach" and personally demonstrated the virtues and benefits of developing the whole player.

No spoken word, no written plea
Can teach your youthwhat they should be.
Nor all the books on all the shelves.
It's what the teachers are themselves.
A Teacher-Coach is someone who:
Understands that he or she leaves a lasting impact on the lives of athletes.
Sees sports as an opportunity to teach life lessons.
Refuses to sacrifice his or her honor, or an athlete's, for the sake of victory.
Cares about how athletes behave both on and off the court.
Teaches athletes how to be good basketball players and good people.

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