Honesty

One of the lessons that can be learned, and taught, in education based athletics is honesty.

Des Moines Roosevelt volleyball coach Mark Steinbach teaches it by having a “touch policy”. If one of the Roughrider players touches the ball and it goes out of bounds, but it is missed by the official, the player will tell the official even if the ball would have been awarded to Roosevelt.

Last week in a freshman game we were playing, and I was coaching, the official awarded us a ball that we touched last. I told the official that and asked our player if he touched the ball, and he conformed it.
The official reversed the call.

Some of my players on our bench said, why did you do that? I said because it was the right thing to do. They smiled and nodded in agreement.

Later in the week, we were playing another game and a ball clearly went off of our opponent but the official missed it and awarded the ball to our opponent instead of to us. The opposing player actually smiled knowing he had touched it and it happened in front of the opposing coach.

Two different responses to the same situation. The point of this is not to judge, and I am not doing that.

You can agree or disagree, and make a case for whatever you believe the right thing to do is, but if honesty, and teaching honesty, is what we’re after, then the response is an easy one.

I side with Coach Steinbach.

I’m cheering for you.

#leadership #motivation #coaching
#basketball #bebetter #beblessed