“Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.” (James 3:1-2)

Lots of men and women have stepped up to take on the mantle of "coach." Our children need coaches, so we volunteer. Or we want to serve our community or help our friends and neighbors. We want to give back to the sports that shaped the adults we have become. 

The title of "coach" brings with it a target. Our spouses and loved ones have to endure the experience of overhearing criticism in the stands and in the community. Now, they must endure reading it on social media. 

My friend Chad coached high school basketball and was a very passionate coach. He'd found success with a state title at another school prior to making the move to where I first met him. However, it wasn't long before the Twitter harassment, dissent among players, and parents vocalizing their displeasure began usurping his time. We all make mistakes -- this is true -- and while Chad may have undertaken some coaching strategies that might have given rise to the attacks he endured, it was not easy for me to observe from the sidelines. 

Four years later, I got my first major taste of public criticism. Not that I'd never experienced criticism before, but it had been limited to less public and more direct means. In those cases, parents had come directly to me with their concerns. This time, however, I found myself being attacked through text messages, emails, and Facebook posts. 

In the years since, I've grown considerably as a coach. Grown in ways that never would have happened had I not experienced that criticism or had I thrown in the towel. I modeled what I hope my athletes would do in adversity:

• Continuous improvement
• Acknowledging mistakes
• Communicating common goals and objectives 
• Developing thick skin

I urge my coaching colleagues to resist joining in on the social media debates or speaking out with the intention of simply standing up for yourself. The vocal critics who come right to you are the ones to answer, not the faceless ones speaking from the safety behind their screens. Indeed, we will always be judged more strictly because we are coaches. Joining in the fray brings you down a level, removes your focus from serving Christ with your work as a coach, and places it on yourself. It's not about you. 

The best teachers maintain the focus on the bigger picture. For me, it's Christ and how He brings light and salvation to my students and athletes. It "ain't easy," but it's necessary. 

Moment of Kaizen: 

• What compels you to answer criticism from the stands or the sidelines? 
• How can you communicate that you have common goals with your critics? How can you get them to understand and have faith in you? How can you rebuild that trust? 

Related Passage: "Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example" (1 Peter 5:3).

Sometimes one of the best ways we can lead and be role models for our athletes is by setting our own example. We ask our athletes to refrain from joining in the practice of talking back to officials or opposing coaches and "trash talking" with opponents. Shouldn't we do the same with the vocal critics on the sideline? 

June 6, 2021

This article is a part of a series of Coaches Devotionals that I will be writing over the course of the next year. Please click here if you would like to receive email notifications when a new devotional is published.