How many parents, that coach their own kids, would be willing to make the same admission, as Coach Ed did in a recent post? “I knew that I was too close to the situation.”
Coach Ed, whom I have a great deal of respect for, removes himself when it comes to coaching his own children matside. Is it because he is not certified, qualified or lacking knowledge of strategy and technique? Does he let others coach his child because he doesn’t care?
Clearly, I believe the answer is, NO, he doesn’t coach, because he CARES TOO MUCH! Ed is a tremendous technician and does his coaching, in the practice room. Removing yourself when your kid is wrestling is tough, but might be the best for all concerned.
As we all know, wrestling is a sport that thrives on emotion. Wrestling has been described as a war, a battle, a combat or the ultimate competition. Some coaches, myself included, have a difficult time NOT becoming emotionally involved, when an athlete you have had a varying degree of influence in, is in that battle.
Perhaps coaches, and for that matter, wrestlers should not put so much emotion into their wrestling, but that is a topic for another discussion. However, emotionally charged coaches, have a tough task, when that wrestler is their own child. Especially when their child does not match the competitive level that is desired by the parent/coach.
Coach Ed obviously cares a great deal about his wrestlers. Recognizing how “emotionally involved” he would be is a lesson that others might need to learn.
