Coaching is a Sacred Responsibility

[johnyandell]

Let's get your thoughts on Dick Gould's article, "Coaching is a Sacred Responsibility"

[don_budge]

Let's get your thoughts on Dick Gould's article, "Coaching is a Sacred Responsibility"

Mr. Gould is certainly a legend. I was aware of him back in the 70's when tennis was tennis. Wood racquets and white clothes. Stanford certainly had all of the wherewithal to get it done. Perfect chemistry and a perfect storm to have a man like Gould in charge. The team nature of the college tennis experience was a wonderful culture in itself. Not withstanding some of the shortcomings of a lot of the coaches in that day. The culture could even make up for the shortcomings. The idea that you could train everyday on a schedule was like a boot camp in some cases. Those were the days. He was the man. An excellent article on tennisplayer.net. It just keeps coming...consistently and high level of excellence.

[don_budge]

Mr. Gould is certainly a legend. I was aware of him back in the 70's when tennis was tennis. Wood racquets and white clothes. Stanford certainly had all of the wherewithal to get it done. Perfect chemistry and a perfect storm to have a man like Gould in charge. The team nature of the college tennis experience was a wonderful culture in itself. Not withstanding some of the shortcomings of a lot of the coaches in that day. The culture could even make up for the shortcomings. The idea that you could train everyday on a schedule was like a boot camp in some cases. Those were the days. He was the man. An excellent article on tennisplayer.net. It just keeps coming...consistently and high level of excellence.

"A Sacred Responsibility". That's an interesting level of importance to assign to coaching. I believe that it does reach than level too. There is something sacred about the relationship between the player and the coach.

That being said...the college coach or even the high school coach is pretty much a "sacred" opportunity. An opportunity to give to another human being that is what I call God's gift to mankind in terms of recreation. To have the facilities and resources of Stanford University must be a God like feeling in relationship to the rest of the coaching world. One might have to protect oneself from feeling too important. I know I would probably find issue with it if I were in that position. I would have to pinch myself at least. To have the opportunity to have players of that caliber to work with over the course of three or four years while recruiting them at the same time. Tennis heaven. Tennis Nirvana.

But even lesser venues are such blessings. Lesser players are no less important. The opportunity to have that sort of impact on another human being in such a positive and healthy endeavor is sheer wonder. My own coach was at the Junior College level and I would choose him over Mr. Gould eight days a week. Nothing to do with Gould...it is just that I revered my coach that much. If there had been one person in the world that I would want in my corner for a match...it would have been Sherm Collins. He also had this wonderful legacy that Coach Dick Gould has. Not the same dollar value but some things you cannot equivocate in dollars. In an almost spiritual sense. At least for me. I can still hear his voice in my ear. Guiding me. Encouraging me. Never giving up on me when I surely deserved to be abandoned.

Dick Gould is such a legend and his name is known throughout tennis history. There are many, many coaches that felt the same sort of reverance for their positions. Every single player matters. You never give up on any of them no matter how they are telling you they aren't interested in the "next level". Then you have those human beings who do get it. Who do understand the meaning of life. That you are here to do your best. You give those all the food for thought you can feed them and stand back and watch them grow...blossom. Yeah...there is something sacred about all that. Thanks Dick for sharing. What a journey!