PROFILED GUEST:
Mr. Jim Thompson, Executive Director
Positive Coaching Alliance
By Dave Sargent
MaxPreps.com
"He made the game fun."
That was Jim Thompson's immediate response when asked about important characteristics of the most influential coach in his high school career.
"He was not obsessed with winning," Thompson said.
And he should know good coaching technique. Thompson is the Executive Director of the Positive Coaching Alliance, which promotes and teaches coaches of youth and high school sports that providing positive life lessons is a major goal of working with youth and young adults in athletics (To learn more about the Positive Coaching Alliance, access www.positivecoach.org).
The PCA, whose mission is "to transform youth sports so sports can transform youth," was founded in 1998 at Stanford University and teaches coaches and competitors to "Honor the Game".
Thompson embodies the ideal of his organization and he developed many of his current beliefs and values as a participant in football, basketball, track and field, and fast pitch softball during his high school career at West Fargo High in Fargo, North Dakota. He learned to put himself in the best position to give maximum effort the hard way.
Thompson recalls a time he and his basketball teammates decided to go bowling on the day of a meaningful game, thinking nothing about the effect that activity might have on shooting touch and jumping ability. After a lackluster shooting night for the team, his coach emphasized the concept of total preparation and commitment to giving the best effort at whatever you choose to do.
As Executive Director, he consistently uses that lesson learned in his current position, whether in preparation for an important meeting or a speaking engagement. He must always be 'up' for a presentation and he employs the lesson of flawless preparation regularly.
Character development is one of the primary outcomes of competitive athletics. The skills, attitudes, and values built by coaches and parents last a lifetime. Therefore, we must insure that the lessons learned in the heat of competition develop the traits that will serve the competitors well in their futures.
Athletics is a builder of adult attitudes and values, and care must be taken in the construction of those attitudes and values. Thompson is dedicated to the proposition that leaders and coaches of youth teams build character traits that will serve the players beyond fields and gyms.
In addition to concluding that success emanates from good planning in all that a person does, Thompson has reflected on the impact of his athletic experiences on the building of his framework of beliefs. He sees many long and short-term effects of athletic participation in his daily life.
"I learned determination, staying power. I can see a project through to the conclusion," Thompson said.
Discouragement does not deter Jim because from sports he gained "confidence in my ability to rebound" from difficult hurdles or problems to overcome. Whether hurdles are related to a single game, a season, or a career, athletic competition, if managed positively, provides the participant with a limitless reservoir of self worth on which to rely. Being a member of high school teams helped provide that reservoir for Thompson. The role of his coaches in that process was crucial and he seeks to train more coaches who will emphasize positive lessons coming from athletic competition.
Perseverance, mental toughness, determination, and preparation create success. "There are no shortcuts" and "no pain, no gain" are common phrases associated with the lessons provided in athletic competition. If coaches and parents stop to reflect upon the results of that competition with the players in their charge and engage in conversation about the positive learning that has occurred, then we will build the personal confidence in all athletes that Thompson gained from his participation in team and individual sports.
If as a result of their athletic careers, our youth develop the confidence to push the boundaries of self-limitation, then we have created a truly desirable outcome. The challenge for all coaches and parents is to consistently identify positives for their players and to develop personal attributes and attitudes that will lead to a successful life. No small task, but as with all worthy goals and challenges, it is achievable with preparation, determination, and perseverance.
Dave Sargent: dave@maxpreps.com
