Since the first week or so of March, I have been fortunate enough to work with a group of young men on the lacrosse field, as both the lead coach at the junior varsity level and as an assistant coach at the varsity level. While I sincerely enjoyed reconnecting with the lacrosse community, which I feel head-over-heels for nearly fifteen years ago, it has become clear that there is a strong connection between my coaching responsibilities and my objectives in the classroom as an educator.
My ultimate goals this season were to pass on my love for the game and to set the JV players up for success on the field come game-day, both of which required quite a bit of intentional planning and careful thought before ever setting foot on the practice field. The effort that I put forth into each practice plan shares similar traits to that of an effective lesson plan.
As in most academic settings, it is necessary to gauge what each student-athlete already knows, as well as consider the most effective way to convey the skill or idea that I want them to develop, and lastly, clearly illustrate why it is important to strive for each student-athlete’s utmost best in practice each day.
While I could easily go on about the similarities present between the crafts of coaching and teaching, I benefited from another experience to a much greater degree. Throughout the course of the JV season, I made it a point to confer with the varsity coach every so often to make sure that I was not making any massive mistakes during my first season with a well-established program and he would offer a few bits of advice here and there. These snippets of veteran wisdom were helpful to a point, but I could only take so much away from these passive interactions.
My ultimate goals this season were to pass on my love for the game and to set the JV players up for success on the field come game-day, both of which required quite a bit of intentional planning and careful thought before ever setting foot on the practice field. The effort that I put forth into each practice plan shares similar traits to that of an effective lesson plan.
As in most academic settings, it is necessary to gauge what each student-athlete already knows, as well as consider the most effective way to convey the skill or idea that I want them to develop, and lastly, clearly illustrate why it is important to strive for each student-athlete’s utmost best in practice each day.
While I could easily go on about the similarities present between the crafts of coaching and teaching, I benefited from another experience to a much greater degree. Throughout the course of the JV season, I made it a point to confer with the varsity coach every so often to make sure that I was not making any massive mistakes during my first season with a well-established program and he would offer a few bits of advice here and there. These snippets of veteran wisdom were helpful to a point, but I could only take so much away from these passive interactions.
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Going over the game plan during a break in the state championship.
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My real period of growth did not come about until after the JV campaign had ended when I asked to join the varsity coaching staff. During this time, I was far less active as a coach and took on a role along the lines of an observer for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs. Although I was not responsible for plotting the course of action each day in practice, I had far more opportunities to engage with Coach C, the varsity coach, and take note of how he engaged with the athletes and structured each workout. My experience on the field during practices and on the sideline during games was a rich learning experience due to Coach C.’s willingness to let me work alongside him and actively observe how he went about engaging with his trade.
The time that I spent on the field during practice and on the sideline during games was meaningful and valuable in many ways. However, I would not have taken away as much as I did had it not been for Coach C’s attitude, openness, and commitment to helping me refine my coaching methods. Furthermore, it is safe to say that I sincerely learned more from Coach C through our conversations away from the field. Although our conversations off the field did not always directly relate to lacrosse or coaching, I managed to usually walk away wanting to try something different in practice or re-think my current approach to guiding the development of the athletes under my supervision.
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| My alma mater retreats off the field after my new lacrosse family emerged victorious in the State Championship! |
Overall, my experience with Coach C is a near perfect example of an effective mentorship. However, the quality of the mentorship could have been better if Coach C had had an opportunity to observe my coaching methods in person, but scheduling conflicts between practice times for the varsity and JV teams made this difficult. Regardless of Coach C’s inability to observe my coaching tactics on more than just a couple occasions, he made it a point to welcome me onto his field and share his wealth of experience with me. Most importantly, he was flat out passionate about helping me, a young coach, develop and mature as a leader and guide on the field.
