To Whom It May Concern:
I am your new coach. That’s a role that I take very seriously. It’s a mixture of teacher, mentor, psychologist, personal trainer, confidant and many other jobs that coalesce into a position of great possible influence. The word possible is in there because people are put into roles like this every day but just because someone leads does not mean that anyone will follow. A position of power does not make someone a leader. Leaders must be willing to go first. My hope is that I am able to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am.
At this point, I could list all of my past experiences and accolades but they are only slightly relevant. Prior success is not a guarantee of future success. Also that term is something that we will have to define together. So what am I offering? Commitment… A similar commitment to the ones that I make to my wife and children. I take it that seriously. The commitment to do what I believe is best in the long run. Not particularly today. Not the things that are easy. Not the things that most people would do but rather the things that few people would do. Things that may lose games but improve lives. Ultimately that is the game that I care the most about: LIFE. Eventually everyone’s playing career comes to an end. The things that we carry with us after the games are over are the true victories. The friends, confidence, self-discipline, self-awareness, and so many others are the trophies that we not only carry with us but can rely upon for years to come. In the end, your ability to control a ball will probably amount to very little but your ability to control yourself will give you everything.
So where do we go from here? Forward! We are going to take the necessary steps in order to prepare for what lies ahead. There is no way to predict what those things might be. Every team and every season is different. So we will do our best to anticipate the challenges and prepare for them. We will endure hardships. Face opponents external and internal. Enjoy the successes but no matter what it will be done together. Every one of us will contribute to whatever we accomplish. From the starting captain, all the way down to the last person on the bench of the lowest level team, we all have something to give. It may not be goals, saves or minutes but there is value in all of it.
I could go on but rather than talking about starting, we should just start. So for now, let me just say that I am extremely excited to be working with you.
See you soon!
Coach
P.S. Below is something that I wrote a few months back. Not sure how it will play into my plans but I’m putting it here for your consideration.
“Toward Full Stature”
I go out today in search of victory,
Not over the opponent who stands in front of me
But the lesser self that resides within me
Before I can conquer anyone or anything else
I must first conquer and control myself
And if today I am able to stand victorious,
I know that tomorrow will bring a new challenge
Each day my ability to stand tall will be tested
But I am confident that I will reach my full stature
Huryk Unlimited 