My Coaching Philosophy
Since I was sixteen years old I became infatuated with the idea of that first job:
that first assignment and opportunity to build a wrestling program and coach a team. It
then became a passion.
As a young coach I placed all value and self worth into winning. I wanted to feel
important and accepted by my peers, faculty members and administrators. I placed
pressure on myself to win for my own gratification above that of the team.
Too often, however, I did not look beyond the job at the core of coaching, that is,
to mold and influence in a positive light, the lives of young athletes toward a successful
future. We must help to build their character, not feed our personal egos by mere wins.
I soon realized that to be a good coach I must be a positive role model and, in
order to be such I must establish my own training regimen. I focused on incorporating the
rules and standards that I learned from previous coaches. Unfortunately, I discovered
early in my career that the coaching philosophy I so avidly adhered to was not going to
work at Santa Ana High School. It was impossible to walk into a tough urban school that
was dominated by a Hispanic culture that did not place emphasis on sports or discipline.
Had I tried to impose that, there would be no wrestling program.
For instance, basic coaching rules such as “anyone who misses practice misses a
match;” or “any outside actions that will reflect negatively on the school mean you are
off the team;” or “be on time,” were ignored by my wrestlers. They did the complete
opposite by skipping practice and matches, and if I exercised authority, they would quit.
Therefore, I had to quickly become flexible, working with each student on an individual
basis. I could not deal with them as a team. I had to adjust my coaching strategies to meet
them in the middle.
I invested time in learning the lifestyles of the students. Many had to work to
support large families; some could not walk home after practice out of fear; and some
babysat siblings instead of going to practice. I then set out to find which ones I needed to
work with and which ones would be disciplined enough to stand the course. I focused on
grooming them without a thought to winning.
Further, I integrated a supportive, personal approach to my coaching style; I
encouraged them to share their feelings, because I recalled, as a teenage athlete myself, I
was rarely asked how I felt about things. I invited the wrestlers to bring their problems
and concerns to me without worrying about being ignored or judged.
The most important, however potentially controversial, thing I did as part of my
coaching philosophy was to reintroduce them to living a more spiritual life. I say
‘reintroduce’ because I believe most already had a foundation of Catholicism ingrained
into their spiritual lives. I took it upon myself to lead them back to what I thought they
once believed in: God.
I started a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Bible Study after school, and I invited
them to youth group outings. I spent more time with them and answered their questions
about who Jesus Christ is. The wrestlers bought into it; they really believed if they lived
a good lifestyle and got back in touch with God, good things would happen. Within a
year’s time, the wrestlers who were criminals, the ones who were lost, the ones who
lacked talent, and the ones who had no family support, started to turn the corner. They
were not perfect by any means, but they were making the effort. Not only did they start
winning, but more importantly, they became better students and better people. My new
philosophy and unconventional style of coaching paid off over the years, as the success
of Santa Ana Wrestling grew. I was gradually able to re-invest some of the traditional
coaching style by introducing the discipline and high expectations that are prerequisites
for any sport. With victories, come reputation and an understanding by new wrestlers that
they are expected to comply, compete and excel. It has not been easy coaching at Santa
Ana H. S. and I have made many mistakes as the “guy in charge,” however if it were not
for my tenure as a Saint and if I had coached somewhere else, I may have never
challenged myself to improve, develop and progress into the coach I am proud to be
today.
With my new philosophies, my experienced coaching staff and tenacious group of
young wrestlers, the team made an‘about-face’.
Winning soon became a habit; an
expectation. The tradition of success was now in place. Grant it, we have never been the
best in the state of California, however, we have achieved more than any of our
supporters could have every predicted.
My experience as a coach at Santa Ana High has taught me that though the
wrestlers may have been at a disadvantage economically, lacked the experience needed to
compete with the best, or faced pressure from family members and friends to quit, they
still rose above it all to meet my expectations and beat the odds.
Coaches, educators, parents and athletes could learn a lesson from the past and
present wrestlers. Shoot for the best, set the bar high but have realistic expectations.
Never underestimate a kid who walks on to a team or into a classroom and think, “This
kid does not have a chance.” I told myself that several times; I held out no hope for
certain wrestlers thinking that they, either; did not have the talent or the attitude to be a
success in the sport. However, they proved me wrong along with several other athletes
who tried out for the team.
It is never wise to take too lightly the human spirit. It taught me that no matter
how talented, unintelligent or non-athletic a person might appear to be, he can achieve
anything in life as long as he puts forth the effort and believes in himself?
My hope as a coach and educator is to see more people in my profession drawn to
work in inner city, urban schools. So many coaches have a fairytale picture of working in
the best schools and coaching the best teams. We think of how much it will do for our
self-esteem if we had successful students and athletes.
I have taught and coached for both, the upper class and the lower class and I can
honestly say I have gotten more satisfaction and pride from teaching and coaching those
who were less fortunate, less talented and less educated than I did from working with
those who “had it all.” To see the miraculous metamorphosis of individuals from the
time they entered the ninth grade to the day they graduate, and to know I was a part of
that change, is the most gratifying and remarkable feeling one could ever have.