First Day of Track!

... and already losing sleep.

I haven't done the leg work, but I imagine if you ask most coaches (successful or not) why they got started in coaching the number one answer would be "uh... I did the sport myself and liked it."  Ditto for me.  As you continue coaching you learn new reasons, these too may not vary much - "I enjoy working with the kids." or "I'm successful at it."  For me however I think my biggest attraction to coaching are the problems and emotions.

First the problems - As a scientist, or better yet as a results oriented person, it comes very easy to me to tackle a problem like this:  1) Identify problem 2) Brainstorm Solutions 3) Implement Best Solution    While this seems simple, it neglects the Journey.  From this viewpoint, all that matters is the problem is solved, (and solved as simply/ efficiently/ methodically as possible).  As easy as this is for me; it also can bore me -  "Lather. Rinse. Repeat." (and frustrate me when working with people).  Coaching however demands a different methodology.  Often the Journey, the Growth, or the Motivation behind a course of action is the valuable exercise (and not the solution in and of itself).  This is not at all in my nature, but because it is difficult (for me) and foreign - it has captured my interest.  And I've gotten much, much better at it.

Second the emotions - I like feeling things - excitement, despair, accomplishment, annoyance,  whatever as long as the emotion is strong, real.  I like that after the first day of track a very lengthy and heated conversation is still rattling around in my head (keeping me up right now to write this).  It shows me the passion I have for this job, it validates the choices I've made to continue doing it.  It reminds me of lesson #2 learned by Alan Versaw described here.  After 6 years of coaching, I have no problem losing sleep over coaching!  I worry that I won't have these same feelings, this same passion in another line of work.

Excited for what day 2 will bring...