Coaching Beyond X's and O's
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| Listen as Boston College head football coach Jeff Jagodzinski talks about how he coaches beyond the Xs and Os by striving to create a team environment that promotes mutual respect and trust for one another. |
The best coaches build opportunities for character education into their program, creating, recognizing and capitalizing on teachable moments. They think about the following questions when it comes to their players:
- If they fail, will they try again?
- Do they have the character necessary to persist?
- Will they be committed to helping to make their teammates better?
- How can I encourage them to have the confidence and curiosity to ask for and welcome feedback?
- When they succeed, do they rest on their laurels?
- Do they seek help to refine their skills even further?
- Will they compete in a way that makes their coaches, families and themselves proud?
In sports, character is constantly tested. Therefore, Responsible Coaches are character educators, able to take advantage of the endless procession of teachable moments that sports provide. Beyond the x's and o's, Responsible Coaches teach athletes life lessons in persistence, teamwork, sacrifice, effort, empathy, discipline, leadership and overcoming adversity.
Teaching our players to be better at their sport is rewarding, but not nearly as rewarding as feeling that we've actually helped shape the values they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
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