Principles of Coaching #7 - Be joyful on the field, with your players, and in every moment - it is a blessing to make a living working in a game (Bot9 #312)

You play games. You don’t work games. You might work at your game in order to improve, but games are meant to be played.

This is an important foundational element to use when approaching sports. If you’re so wrapped up in working the game in such a way as your joy is being sapped, it’s time for a perspective check or to find something else to do. It’s easy to become skeptical when working with the next generation of people who are going to make a lot of mistakes. It’s much harder to constantly speak life and to stay optimistic.

There are two things that I’ve experienced which can sap joy - circumstances and the stage. Both can be overwhelming, but a mindset of joy creates blessing.

Competitive athletics and the day-to-day circumstances you face can be both invigorating and draining. Tony Robbins says that two of the six human needs are certainty and variety. That dichotomy feeds those of us who work in athletics. But sometimes circumstances just work against you. As believers, we need to lean into the wisdom James provides us in James 1:2-4:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

But what about when you’re in a losing streak? Joy. How about when you lose your best player to injury? Joy. While things can mount up and seem to overwhelm you, it is imperative for us to find joy in the midst of any set of difficult circumstances before us.

Secondly, sometimes the bigger stage of playoff runs and championship games can add pressure. These are a special set of circumstances we hope for but then many times we miss the joy of those moments while we’re working our way through the postseason.

I walked past one of our teams making a playoff run as a high seed for the first time this week. They were sitting down, talking through potential scenarios for their next game, and you could sense the pressure they were feeling. I’ve been there. It might work for them, but I’ve found that having fun and bringing a lot of joy and activity to the table during a playoff run leads to better results. Even if the results don’t come, joy makes that time between playoff games a lot more enjoyable!

Not matter your circumstances or the stage you’re playing on, it’s vital to be joyful on the field, with your players, and in every moment. You’re playing a game. Remind yourself of that blessing every day!