My Golfing Hobby and Random Thoughts on Coaching

I got out to play some golf on Monday. It was fun and relaxing as usual. There is something peaceful about golf courses, for the most part. Occasionally you find one that's too close to a major highway or road that takes away from its allure. The other 97 percent are beautiful pieces of land, nicely landscaped and serene. There are some nice ones here in Central Pennsylvania and I've also played a couple in New Jersey and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I have three golf courses on my "To Do" list. The first is Saint Andrews in Scotland. If you have ever had the chance to play links golf, with the deep bunkers and creative shot making, you know how fun it can be. The second is Pebble Beach in Northern California. It hosts a great pro-am event and has breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. If it's good enough for Clint Eastwood, it's good enough for me. The last course is a little more obscure, but still a great course. It's Congressional in Bethesda, Maryland. Besides hosting PGA Tour events, including the US Open, the course has also been played by various Presidents and Heads of State. I can just picture the photo wall at the 19th hole being quite a piece of American history.
Summer classes started for me Tuesday and I have a good size summer course load to do so I can graduate on time, next May. It is also times when schools do their searches for coaching candidates for next season. I've been polishing my resumes and cover letters for various local institutions. I have coached at different levels and each level brings different challenges. College coaches have the challenge of recruiting and managing a budget. High school coaches may have budgetary concerns as well, as well as the socioeconomic factors of the school district they coach in. This is one of the reasons Bob Hurley, Sr. has received a lot of accolades for his work at St. Anthony's in Jersey City, NJ. Youth coaches have other challenges, like the gap between players' abilities. While one player may needs help with basic shooting form, another may be ready for more complex offensive and defensive strategies. The youth coach has to be able to determine the needs of each player and budget their time to teach the inexperienced and experienced players alike. My parents were buying me coaching books when I was in the second grade and I believe I was born to do it. I have the drive, focus and willingness to learn. To me, good coaches are like good musicians. They take things they learn from other musicians and mold it into something of their own. That good foundation is what separates the great ones from the average ones, in music or coaching. Until next week, keep learning.