Caring Coaches Can Transform Young People’s Lives
November 21, 2009
What follows is an excerpt from an article appearing in the San Jose Mercury News on 11/9/09, written by Tara Vanderveer (head coach of the woman’s basketball at Standford University) and Joann Boyle (who is her counterpart at UC Berkeley.)
“We’re joining together – along with many other coaches around the country, including Mike Singletary, Pete Carroll, Joe Torre and Tony La Russa – to recruit college students to work as volunteer coaches for kids in low-income communities.
We’re doing this because we have seen the transformation impact of engaged, caring coaches on the lives of young people. The greatest reward we’ve enjoyed as coaches has been witnessing the growth of our players into confident, focused and thoughtful young adults. Every good coach has watched a player experience that “aha” moment when he or she discovers some previously untapped quality within – selflessness, perhaps, or perseverance or courage.
We believe every child ought to have that experience.”
And rightly so. Developing the ”spirit” should be an integral part of every class. Teachers who encourage curiosity and enthusiasm know that academic champions are born out of this transformative energy.
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