Athletes are More than the Box Score

I'm sure you have heard the complaint.  All the school cares about is sports.  That's all we talk about.  That's where all the money goes.  If you're an athlete, you can get away with things.  I certainly do understand that perception, but I would like to shed some light on an angle you may be thinking of.  I do treat my student-athletes different from those that do not participate.  I actually expect more of them and that may sound unfair. The life lessons we have the opportunity to teach them are super valuable so yes, I do spend a lot of time on my student-athletes.  They are more than the box score.

Student-athletes are willing to put themselves under a micro scope.  This is a burden that has to be nurtured carefully.  Some little kid wants to be that athlete someday.  The athlete wears their community across their chest in every contest and everywhere they go.  When their behavior dishonors their team, their community and themselves, they will hear about it in more ways than one.  This is a great way to help them understand how blessed they are, but also of their responsibility.

Student-athletes are willing to take intense criticism.  Especially when they are not winning.  These kids, if done properly, put in a crazy amount of time and effort to play and compete.  When you are not winning or you are under performing, players can be the target of a lot of criticism.  More often than not, that can be unfair when you consider that there is so much that is out of their control.  That makes their time and effort seem to be a poor investment.  If you want more kids to go out for teams, you have to be willing to grow them and not tear them down.

Student-athletes are willing to be a part of something bigger than themselves.  I was impressed with the Hamilton County junior high boys basketball team when I saw all of them walk into the gym wearing ties and nice pants.  Kids make sacrifices, big and small, to acknowledge that they belong to a larger mission.  They are willing to put team before self.  Otherwise, they would not be there.

For student-athletes, everyday is a tryout.  Year around they are monitored to see if they are worth bringing back.  Many coaches don't want players that have baggage if it might hurt team culture.  Many coaches do not want players back that do not take care of themselves and work out in the off season.  That time investment that I mentioned is critical, but more so for those who play multiple sports.  They have to maintain a higher standard and that is worth recognizing.

I expect more of my student-athletes because they are willing to accept these conditions.  I give a lot time to these kids because they accept these conditions.  They are willing to do what it takes to weather the criticism, be a part of something bigger, and put in the work for their teammates and community.  In my business we call those people leaders.  If you are a coach, parent or community member don't be afraid to lift these kids up.  It is our job to nurture the next wave of change makers in our communities.  It's not always about the athletes, but we can't judge them solely on the box score.

Make the Impeachment About the Real Issue

This is not about Trump or an attempt to slam him.  I hope you didn't come here for that.

When I was a civics teacher, I loved teaching about the Supreme Court.  More specifically the idea that something has to go wrong somewhere before the court can make a game changing decision.  It was fun doing this with mock cases.  We read the facts of the case and got over our personal biases with the situation.  Once we could see things clearly, we applied statute and case law in an attempt to render a fair decision.  The main learning target was to understand that when the Supreme Court rules, it changes our way of life.

Our current impeachment proceedings are no different except we are dealing with the House and Senate.  If you are seeing this through the lens of being either for or against Trump, I wish you were in my civics class.  The impeachment is about the essential question of the case. Can we allow the president to use public funds as leverage over a country in return for help in damaging a political opponent?  This alleged conduct is and should be a defining moment for our Democracy.  Yes, it deserves a full and thorough process because the answer is too important to leave to simple politics.

This impeachment will help us decide what kind of democracy we want to live in. What we allow is what we become.  If we allow our president to use his office (allegedly) to influence an election or eliminate political rivals, what do we actually have?  If we say this behavior is okay, then we have to accept that we are no longer a democracy. One could argue that we are moving towards totalitarianism.  A far cry from what the writers of the constitution were hoping for.  Sure we are the great experiment, but I think this process is part of the same experiment.  The framers didn't intend for us to depart from democracy all together.

My only request is that you not make this process about who is winning, because we could all be losers depending on the outcome.  The decision made will surely change the political landscape and our attitude towards those who are elected to govern us.  Think back to your government or civics class.  It's all about checks and balances.  Let the process work and don't make it about the players.  It has to be about what is at steak.  Regardless of how I feel about the president, any president should be brought to impeachment for the same reasons.