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The Gift of Sport
By: JIM SCHMUTZ, ASEP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
That coach gives the gift of hope to that child. Administrators who schedule and facilitate games and tournaments give the gift of providing high quality competition experiences that provide a learning environment that effectively includes a multi-dimensional test for all who play. High School coaches provide the gift of continued growth through sport. At a time when there are more questions than answers for teenagers, scholastic sport provides a venue where skills can be further developed and tested with immediate feedback. In most cases this is the last chance to compete at a high level, a gift still cherished by many former high school athletes.
As you reflect on sport as a gift, think beyond the extrinsic emotional gift attached to winning. I urge you to continue to think about the gift of helping athletes develop discipline through sport. Consider the value of this gift that helps them in school and later in life. Think about the way that you as a coach or administrator influence how athletes under your direction grow.
For example, reinforcing the importance of respect that results in sportsmanship is a gift that extends beyond the field of play in a way that makes whole communities better. Think about all the untold good news of your athletes performing community service through their volunteer efforts. You are providing the consummate gift that you may never witness. You are helping to develop the future, a future of hope that will be led by individuals who have learned so much through sport under your direction.
