Lessons I Learned From Football

Lessons I Learned From Football

by,

Darrin Sheffer

Adversity

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steinert_Football_Scoreboard.jpg

                Life rarely goes the way you want it to go, as a teenager that can be difficult to accept and hard to handle.  The same thing can be said about what happens on the Gridiron.  Excuse my language: Shit Happens.  Your coaches have a game plan, which in my opinion usually goes out the window during the first quarter.  How you as a player handles that adversity will show how mature you are as a person.  My coaches were amazing at teaching us how to handle this adversity like a mature adult and keep a calm, level head when the “shit hits the fan”. 

Faith

http://www.emtv.com.pg/nfl-rallies-around-protesting-players-denounced-by-trump/

                Now with this one we as coaches need to be careful, especially those of us who work in a public-school system.  I was reprimanded a few years ago because my players wanted to do a team prayer after practice and games.  Apparently, a parent complained that I was leading the prayer, so the kids took over and kept it going.  Now, I am not saying that football is a Christian game. 

                When I say Faith, I’m not saying Faith in any Religion.  What I mean is Faith in yourself, your coach and your team.  Football is one of the only sports where it is nearly impossible to succeeded on the shoulders of one player.  Success on the field requires all 11 players doing their jobs, which requires some faith on the part of the other teammates.  Can you perform your job knowing full well that all 10 of your teammates will be doing their job? 

Family

https://www.pexels.com/search/football/

                In any sport, the locker room can make or break a team’s chemistry.  Look back on your own playing days; did your team have a positive locker room environment?  If it did you probably trusted your teammates on the field.  If you did not, and you had a negative locker room environment it was probably difficult to trust any of your teammates which may have caused problems on the field.  Now as a coach there might be next to nothing you can do to influence what goes on in the locker room.  However, if you stress team above self in everything you do there might be some positive interactions going on.  The locker room relationship extends beyond just the locker room and it includes the weight room, school and now social media relationships.  If you can influence those in a positive way you might be able to have a positive locker room environment. 

Grit

https://pxhere.com/en/photo/956262

                This topic might go along with what I had to say on Adversity.  As a teenager it was difficult for me to envision the future, and hard to find good reasons to work hard even though I wasn’t necessarily gaining instant rewards.  My coaches were excellent in making sure that they repeatedly stated what our goals were as a team, while also instilling a goal oriented individual mindset as well.

 

Respect

https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1035138

                Times have changed.  When I was a kid (I’m only 25 so not that long ago) I never would have dreamed of saying something disrespectful or challenge my coach in any way.  Now-a-days however, it is quite common for players to disrespect a coach at practice.  It is common for players to question everything, and I do mean everything, that a coach says or does.  Football taught me how to trust and respect my coaches/superiors and my teammates. 

Teamwork

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Navy_031122-N-5596B-004_Teammates_congratulate_Navy%27s_Bronston_Carroll_on_a_touchdown_during_the_Midshipmen%27s_win_over_the_Chippewas_63-34_in_Annapolis,_Md.jpg

                Like what I said with Faith, as a team you must have faith in your teammates to be able to perform their job while your job.  I feel that being a part of a football team taught me the ability to have faith in my teammates later in life.  As an educator I need to have faith in the other teachers in the building to be doing their job so that I can do my job effectively.  I have dealt with some other people who do not have this mindset and do not trust other teachers which is not healthy in my opinion.  However, if that person played football at some point in their life it seems that they have a similar mindset to mine.  

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