A student athlete runs a drill during a strength and conditioning camp at Arlington Martin High School Thursday, June 18, 2020, in Arlington, Texas.prepare to dive into the college basketball tournament phenomenon known as March Madness, we’re going to hear a lot of punditry surrounding the value of “chemistry,” “locker-room culture,” and “team-first spirit.” Rightly so. But these things don’t just become necessary or valuable at the professional or college level.
Since sports programs are such public-facing things, it’s essential to model the school’s ethos to the community. Our athletes, coaches, and fans are on display in our community, our region, and even across our state. Observers from outside the school should notice something different. How the coach interacts with the athletes, how the parents support the children, and how the athletes treat each other are a testimony, for good or bad, of the school’s culture.
A healthy school athletics program culture should be team-focused and centered on improvement, not perfection. Coaches need to set the tone on this. Their attitudes, for good or for ill, are what will eventually be picked up by senior leadership and captains.