By Chris Wright
Ludlow High School
For the past month or so, I have had a serious case of writer’s block. I have been attempting to write a piece for “Voices from the Classroom” that shows the “other side” of the educator profession for so many of us, the role of coach.
Chris Wright and his wife, Ashley
I wanted to explain my perspective on coaching and what I hope my athletes take away from their time on my team. I have written some version of that article a dozen times. Each time ended with a frustrated deletion at the compilation of cliché’s I brought into it.
I believe that part of my writer’s block has been born out of pressure. I need to write this piece before March 8th. Why? Because that is the day that my wife and I are scheduled to welcome our little Gwendolyn “Winnie” Mae into the world.
My wife Ashley and I are over the moon excited for her arrival.
This will be a moment where so many of our hopes and dreams will come to fruition; a little girl who will one day have so many hopes and dreams of her own will be born.
Coincidentally, my friend Amanda posted a Nike ad on Facebook titled “Dream Crazier.” This ad, narrated by Serena Williams, features a series of incredibly strong women and girls who have defied both the odds and the naysayers to reach the apex of their athletic ventures.
These are women that I would be proud to have as role models for my new daughter. The ad ends with an incredibly powerful message: “It’s only crazy until you do it.”
Serena narrated video “It’s only crazy until you do it.”
This video had me fired up and wanting more (or maybe I was just continuing to relent to my writer’s block) and I found that Nike has a series of videos called “My Crazy Dream”. What I found most striking about these videos was the way that they captured some of the same lessons that I hope two very different groups learn: the athletes I coach and the daughter we are about to welcome.
Dealing with Adversity
Sarah Reinersten: “When someone tells me that I can’t do something…I’m gonna go do it.”
Sarah is a para-triathlete whose crazy dream was to compete in the Iron Man. Few people deal with adversity the way that Sarah Reinersten does. Despite only having one leg, Sarah pushes forward and will not let her impairment stop her from reaching new heights.
Sports and life will consistently throw adversity in your direction. On the court, the referee might make a call that you disagree with. During a race, maybe you get off to a terrible start and get pushed to the back of the pack. On the track, you may clip a hurdle and completely throw off your rhythm. How are you going to react? Giving up is easy. It is easy to blame your circumstances for a negative situation and move on. What is tough is facing a challenge head-on, refusing to give up no matter what your circumstances are.
Lead By Example
“Seeing how determined she is, even when she’s getting hit she just keeps going and she inspires me not to give up”-quote about Chantel Navarro, National Silver Gloves Boxing Champion.
Chantel Navarro’s dream was to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a boxer. Chantel’s grit, determination, and work ethic push those who she trains with to better themselves. Chantel may never know the impact that she is having on everyone else.
I am very fortunate to be in the dissertation portion of my doctorate studying leadership studies. To blatantly oversimplify and overgeneralize an entire branch of behavioral science I’ll say this: most of the most effective leaders are those who lead by example and “walk the walk.”
Far too often, we do not realize the impact that we have on others.
Whether it is a young person in the classroom or in athletics or a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, if a person is viewed through the lens of a leader, they are always being watched. They are always sending a signal to their teammates or followers. So much is made of building a culture, but so much of a culture is built in the minutiae of what we do.
Self and Social Identity
Freedom Prep Rugby: “You have to strive to not be how people expect you to be.”
The Freedom Prep women’s rugby team started with a really simple dream and question from the girls that would eventually comprise it: the boys have a rugby team, why not us? While many questioned why these girls were wanting to compete in this sport, they stuck to their guns, came together as a group, and have been incredibly successful on the pitch.
It can be incredibly difficult for youth to recognize who they are as a person, who they want to be, and how they function within a group. This can have long-lasting effects on a person’s self-esteem well into their adulthood. Athletics provides that avenue for so many children. They can learn so much about what they are capable of, what lengths they can push themselves to, and what they can accomplish within a larger group dynamic.
I hope that in my years as a coach, I have made an impact on the girls and boys that I have worked with. I hope they have learned a number of lessons. I hope that they knew, as I hope my daughter will know, that it is okay to dream; that it doesn’t matter how big your dream is, if people say you can’t do it, or if people think you are crazy.
I hope that they know that it is only crazy until you do it.
Chris Wright is a coach of girls and boys cross country and track, as well as boys JV basketball at Ludlow High School. He is the father of a little boy, Harvey, and twin girls, Mary and Elizabeth, who are watching over us and guiding us toward our dreams.
