Doctors aren’t high school coaches. Doctors decide on your treatment, tell you to follow their instructions, then leave the rest to you. They’re more like college professors – if you don’t want to come to class failure is your choice. Although doctors want you to get better, at the end of the day they don’t have time to deal with patients who aren’t motivated. High School coaches, however, are just the opposite, motivating you whether you like it or not 24-7. On the field they watch every movement, drill you over and over, and bench you for poor performance. Whether it was football or baseball practice I was always asking myself after windsprints, “why I am doing this?” Coaches are relentless, they also spied on you off the field fading in and out of the shadows appearing from nowhere when you least expected it. “How did he find out about the keg party at the boat launch?” At the time coaches created a lot of hard work for me which I wouldn’t appreciate until far in the future.
When I think of great coaches, three come to mind. Coach Tom Nicklas is a friend of mine in Goodland. I never played sports for him, but he resembles my high school coaches, Tom Stricker and Jim Wells. They are all similar, but different in a big way. Today I raise a glass with Coach Nicklas all the time at The Crabby Lady Bar, but in high school the last person on earth I wanted to see glaring at me in the Burleigh House was Coach Stricker. Decades have passed since I was coached by these guys at a time when they seemed much older and stricter. Time, however, has compressed the age difference so now they’re younger and nicer. But, just like physicians who I call Doctor, I still refer to both Jim Wells and Tom Stricker as Coach. It’s not a formality, but a respect they earned and kept years ago. One Thursday late in my senior year I got accepted into Notre Dame, without a doubt a big deal at a little school in a small rural town. By Friday morning the word had gotten out so my friends swamped me with cheers and made plans for celebrating that night. Late in the day Coach Wells cornered me in the gym to see if the rumor was true. As I showed him the acceptance letter I noticed a different expression that I had never seen before even after winning big games. It dawned on me then that coaches measure their own success not just on the field but in how their players tackle life after school.
Although I had great role models, I’ve never formally coached a team of anyone. When Diane was pregnant with Devin, however, she did have a sweatshirt made up for me with COACH printed across the front. It was a joke between us about me coaching her through our Lamaze class. Fortunately the epidural knocked out any chance for me to do any Lamaze coaching that Christmas morning or anytime after. Recently, however, I woke in a hospital room still wrestling with pain from another surgery the day before. As the sun slowly creeped into the room it highlighted that my distant horizons were a lot closer than I realized. Diane arrived not long after sunrise when I admitted to her for the first time ever, “I am not doing this anymore.” Instead of accepting my decision she hugged me tightly and said, “you’ve never given up before and you aren’t going to now; we’re fighting this together.” Although I practice what I preach in defying odds; we all have our weak moments. That day I absolutely needed a coach like Diane to push me back into the ring to ensure “I will” conquers “I won’t.” Early on we definitely need coaches like Stricker, Wells, and Nicklas to keep us on the straight and narrow; but later on in life we discover the most important coach is the one sitting right next to us. Slainte.
Pete-
Thank you for another wonderful article. Your analogies are spot on. A good coach knows how to push the athlete to get the best from him. A good spouse knows when to be tough, when to be strong and when to back away. It seems like you have /had both. In this journey through life, we all need someone to be that rock when we think we can’t go on. Wishing you all the best. Nancey
Nancey, thanks for reading and commenting. If I had Diane as a high school coach I would have played in the Super Bowl. When we are in HS we don’t always articulate to our teachers how important they were, but it’s never too late to say so. Best, Pete
A good significant other is worth their weight in gold. Excellent message.
Lorna, you are absolutely right and it’s important to tell them that. Best, Pete
Always moved & inspired by your posts, Pete. This one especially-
Cheers & prayers from Pittsburgh.
Kathy, thanks for reading and commenting. I was just talking to Mike the other day. He needs a lot of coaching; especially on fishing. Best, Pete
wonderful !
Thanks for reading and commenting! Slainte.
Pete, You most definitely have that Amazing Coach Diane as well as many teammates and cheerleaders on your team.
While this is another favorite, it also hit my heart so I stopped and said another prayer for you today.
We Love you Pete Lawson❤️
Shelley, I hope you lit a candle in your mind; especially when fishing for sofa sharks. Pete
Pete, You most definitely have that Amazing Coach Diane as well as many teammates and cheerleaders on your team.
While this is another favorite, it also hit my heart so I stopped and said another prayer for you today.
We Love you Pete Lawson❤️
Pete – your articles are always thought invoking, heartfelt and meaningful. This one head the mail on the head, and is a true representation of how marriage partnerships work. Your comparison to coaches is great, specifically our “old” high school coaches, we all “hated” them at the time, but like you, as we look back, we realize they were tops in their field and only trying to make us all better! God Bless you, Diane and the entire family.
Chuck, thanks for reading and commenting. Our coaches never get enough credit for the good they gave (give) us, so it’s never to late to let them know. Best, Pete
What a great tribute to Diane
Was great seeing you both over the 4th
Wish we could have spent more time emptying our brain storage
Cheers
Rich, great to see you in Ti even if was for a little bit. We’ll be back late September, say hello to Cheryl. Pete
Wow another great View Point ! Coaches are Mentors as well as Motivators also like a Father too ! I remember Coach Wally Stevenson driving around on Friday night to make sure we we followed our curfew before the Saturday Football game !!
Tom, without a doubt Wally Stevenson falls in this category also. I enjoyed him as a teacher. His style probably wouldn’t go over well today. Best, Pete
You have always been a fantastic coach !!! And coach’s never give up.
Dale, thanks for reading and commenting. Tommy Wyman fell into this category without a doubt. We both learned a bunch from him also. Best, Pete
I woke up today feeling defeated and going thru my phone, my sweet cousin ask me to please read this article. As a colon cancer patient , I feel defeated but are reminded everyday that they are rooting for me as I go thru my 3rd treatment plan. This truely melted my heart as I try to push thru each day
Thanks for reading and commenting. I’m happy my words today encouraged you to keep moving ahead as hard as it maybe. Neither you nor I signed up for this, but that’s true of most difficulties. Envision yourself in the future and you will be there. Keep the faith. Pete
Great post, Pete! It really makes you think about who all the coaches have been in your life🍀
Grace, I’m quite certain you fall in this category with many of your students. Best, Pete
Pete you have a wonderful coach ❤️ Diane and all your family and friends are your teammates. We are all rooting for you. GOD BLESS.
Without a doubt. I keep going not for me but for them. Best, Pete
“My distant horizons [are] a lot closer than I realized”. Truer words never have been spoken. Thanks for the reminder, Coach.
Steve
Steve, you need to keep an eye on your horizons regularly. If they crash through the window, that’s not a good thing. Pete
That is a wonderful story. I am grateful to all the coaches out there that inspire their team and I am very grateful Coach Diane was there the Day and time you needed it! Stay well!!!🍀❤️
Thanks for reading and commenting!
So true Pete, you are one amazing Coach for sure. Another really insightful blog, thank you.
Shelley, nurses are coaches too unless they are nuns which might be conflict. Pete
Pete,
Thanks again for helping your friends understand what makes the wheels of perseverance keep rolling. The insight you are able to translate for everyone to benefit from is truly life effecting. You are a treasure. I appreciate you sincerely
Dr. Bello, thanks for reading and commenting. As you know, without perseverance the wheels of life come to a grinding halt and then what do you have? I got your call, so let’s get together. Best, Pete
A very meaningful article. It meant a great deal to me. Thank you
Coach Stricker, it was nice to see you in Ti a few weeks ago. Thanks for reading and commenting. By the way I wanted to join your gymnastics team when I was in high school, but I thought the uneven bars were a little risky for me. Best, Pete
I’ll always be in your corner.❤️☘️🪳
Pete
Love this post! Your strength and perseverance is amazing, just another example of how even the strongest have weak moments and that’s completely normal and acceptable! Great job to your Coach!