Sports True Lessons Live on Long After the Game is Done

I have said it before and I'll say it again. There is a lot more to sports than winning a particular game on a specific day. A point often lost to parents, players and coaches these days.

If coached well, the players learn humility, courage, tenacity, confidence, teamwork, dedication and loyalty, during the years of playing sports. All attributes that come over time with practice, guidance and patience. All attributes that come from failing, then getting back up again. All attributes that come when an individual finally learns, to borrow from the film "Miracle", that the "name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back of the jersey", that the team is a band of people they need to rise up for and with.

These are the attributes that can carry a person through life's good times and bad. The lessons learned on the playing field develop the leader who will later go on to great accomplishments in life, family, community, business, charity or whatever.

That's if the lessons learned early on actaully shape the person in a positive direction.

I cringe when I watch players approach any sport with the "ah, who cares, it's only a game" attitude. It saddens me that the lesson is lost on them. They give up if they can't get the immediate win. They give up on the game. Think that doesn't become a habit?

I'm dissappointed when I observe a coach twisting the rules to win a game on a trick play (although there is a lesson in that as well - be prepared for the unexpected). So instead of training hard, dedicating yourself and time to perfecting a skill one learns to manipulate and...well, to put it bluntly...cheat. That's what they bring to life in the future. I'm angry at the loss of the true lesson in sport. Think that doesn't become a habit?

If a coach or parent is thoughtful they can see past the immediate gratifaction and teach the lessons that make truly GREAT leaders, GREAT people. They take the time to develop the player from the inside out. That doesn't happen in one game, one season, one year. That develops over time.

And we as a society are not patient enough to allow the lesson to unfold. We as a society have lost the true lesson. "Can't see the forest for the trees." We see only the short-term profits at whatever the longterm cost.

The truly great see both.

Take a listen to one of todays leaders who brings home my point...