As an AD, I remind our coaches that, if done correctly, they will make a bigger impact than any wins or losses ever could. Although winning is always the goal, building strong relationships, creating accountability, and holding players to championship standards are the things that will stay with athletes for a lifetime.
In today’s society, wins and playing time have become the biggest measures of success. However, if we allow those things to define a person’s worth, we miss the true purpose of athletics. The value of relationship building, character development, discipline, and teaching athletes how to handle adversity will always outweigh a scoreboard.
Years from now, most athletes will not remember every score or statistic, but they will remember the coaches who challenged them, believed in them as human beings, held them accountable, and helped shape them into better people. That is the lasting impact of coaching.