As I reflect over the past 49 years of coaches there were some things that were cornerstones of a productive system sport that do not exist today. I hope you all realize that I am not living in the past, but we MUST learn from the past, not repeat it. Here are some areas that I think we could certainly look at and learn from:
Sport was centered in the schools – Therefore teachers were the coaches. Whether they were knowledgeable in the particular sport they had a foundation in pedagogy. Today anyone can coach.
Elementary schools had after school sports – Kids stayed at their neighborhood schools and played. Sometimes it was organized and other times it was supervised. Today you pass an elementary school after school is out and it is a ghost town.
Liability was not an issue – Climbing Ropes, Tramps, Peg Boards were everywhere. All of this has been taken away for “safety” and liability reasons. We are not challenging the kids.
Coaches were the experts – The high school coach was the expert in his or her sport, no special QB schools, you got coaches by your high school coach. Can this be a shortcoming if the coach is not knowledgeable, absolutely, but somehow, we overcame this.
Daily Physical Education was mandatory K through 12 – Need I say more. These PE teachers were also the coaches. They knew how to teach skill and organize, because they did it all day!
Off season Football was track – if you were a football player and did not play baseball you were out for track. You became a better athlete and you learned how to compete.
You played multiple sports – This was the rule not the exception. Seasons were defined so it was easy to do.
No Travel Teams & All Star Select Teams – This is killing school sports
A few ideas from an “OLD” coach; interested in your comments on how we could get some of this back if you think it is important.
dylan hardesty
How would one, like myself, who does not have a footprint in a school be of the influence this post drives to create? A more community based, challenging (within reason) environment with an intelligent and progressive coach to watch the youth. I am young and still have a lot to learn. I am a sports rehab tech full time for a sport chiro and coach baseball players one on one. I have daily conversations about what this posts is mentioning and I agree with all of it. Not just saying that.
I do what I can with the athlete I have at the time that does not over train one area and under train an other, at the rehab facility I am there getting them stronger and filling in gaps they aren’t getting training on in their schools and the same with the baseball players. Anyone can be a PE teacher, and its the kids who suffer for it, because frankly, they just don’t care as long as they get their check. What’s one to do like myself?