Fruit

by Ryan Krzykowski

When it comes to gauging our effectiveness as coaches, there is no shortage of potential measuring sticks.  We can watch video to see how athletes perform.  We can reflect on how a game or practice went, replaying moments in our minds, asking ourselves if we would do anything differently next time.  We can seek feedback from players and/or other coaches.  We can create a Coaching Purpose Statement, a sentence intended to answer the question, “Why do I coach?”, and then consider how well our actions supported our stated purpose.  We can even glance at the scoreboard at the end of a contest and see how our team measured up against its opponent.  Depending on context, any or all of these can be valid, and most likely we’re using some combination of them all as we seek to coach as well as possible.

This morning I was on a football field as teams from three schools came together to compete in some summertime 7 on 7.  Nothing happened on that field that I haven’t seen a hundred times before, and I certainly saw examples of high quality coaching.  On the other hand, I also saw and heard coaches display anger and impatience.  I’m not one to throw stones, as I’ve had more than my share of angry and impatient interactions on athletic fields.  But this morning I kept having this verse run through my mind as I watched all that was happening around me:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control – Galatians 5:22

So to the list at the top of this post, I’m adding the traits named as the fruit of the Spirit, considering how well I’m embodying those as I seek to coach as well as possible and bring glory to my God and Savior.

Let’s Coach With Purpose…