Keeping it classy
If you watched the NFC Championship game between Seattle and San Francisco, then you saw a very good football game. Seattle won a tightly contested game in the waning moments and is headed for the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos.
If you watched the game, then you saw an unfortunate event unfold where the talented Richard Sherman, high on his emotions, chose that very moment to tout himself, his skill set, and put down San Francisco, specifically Michael Crabtree.
I have rather strong opinions on this whole episode, but again I try and stay out of the fray because I've never played football, or coached it, and instead will focus on something that I've learned the hard way.
Everyone who has played a sport knows that it's an emotional roller coaster. Some times you're up, some times you're down, some times you don't know which way you're headed. It's controlled combat for lack of better words. You are attempting to beat your opponent, and emotions can sudden skyrocket.
Several years ago, I was coaching a bunch of walk on athletes at the University of Puget Sound at the conference championships. We'd had a long running rivalry with Western Washington University. They beat us, we beat them, and all of the races between both teams were very close, in particular my second novice 8. Coming into the final stretch for the championship, this boat was in a close battle with Western, leading by about half a boat length. Both boats were pouring it on, and the supporters on the shore were cheering for their respective schools.
The moment my boat crossed the line and held off Western, I, in a moment of pure elation, forgot myself and threw my hat into the air, then on the ground and jumped up and down. It was a very emotionally charged moment and I was on a high.
A while later, my head coach pulled me aside, and gently reminded me of a thing that I'd forgotten in that moment: Professionalism. She understood my excitement, but reminded me about sportsmanship, and class, two things that I had clearly forgotten. My emotions had gotten the better of me, and while it might have been acceptable for the athletes to celebrate wildly, I as the coach, needed to maintain my composure a little better than I had. It was an embarrassing moment in my career to say the least.
I sincerely wish that I could claim that to be my only faux pas with emotions getting the better of me, but that is not the case. Each instance though has reminded me to maintain better control over myself, and what I might say, and while I have to make sure I breathe and relax, and occasionally take a walk - some times a long walk - before talking, I am improving. Slowly.
Sports are full of emotions, but that isn't an excuse for us to simply let loose with what's on our mind. Composure, class, those are what we need to remember when the moment starts to get the better of us. It's never easy, even with practice, but it's something we should all try.
If you watched the game, then you saw an unfortunate event unfold where the talented Richard Sherman, high on his emotions, chose that very moment to tout himself, his skill set, and put down San Francisco, specifically Michael Crabtree.
I have rather strong opinions on this whole episode, but again I try and stay out of the fray because I've never played football, or coached it, and instead will focus on something that I've learned the hard way.
Everyone who has played a sport knows that it's an emotional roller coaster. Some times you're up, some times you're down, some times you don't know which way you're headed. It's controlled combat for lack of better words. You are attempting to beat your opponent, and emotions can sudden skyrocket.
Several years ago, I was coaching a bunch of walk on athletes at the University of Puget Sound at the conference championships. We'd had a long running rivalry with Western Washington University. They beat us, we beat them, and all of the races between both teams were very close, in particular my second novice 8. Coming into the final stretch for the championship, this boat was in a close battle with Western, leading by about half a boat length. Both boats were pouring it on, and the supporters on the shore were cheering for their respective schools.
The moment my boat crossed the line and held off Western, I, in a moment of pure elation, forgot myself and threw my hat into the air, then on the ground and jumped up and down. It was a very emotionally charged moment and I was on a high.
A while later, my head coach pulled me aside, and gently reminded me of a thing that I'd forgotten in that moment: Professionalism. She understood my excitement, but reminded me about sportsmanship, and class, two things that I had clearly forgotten. My emotions had gotten the better of me, and while it might have been acceptable for the athletes to celebrate wildly, I as the coach, needed to maintain my composure a little better than I had. It was an embarrassing moment in my career to say the least.
I sincerely wish that I could claim that to be my only faux pas with emotions getting the better of me, but that is not the case. Each instance though has reminded me to maintain better control over myself, and what I might say, and while I have to make sure I breathe and relax, and occasionally take a walk - some times a long walk - before talking, I am improving. Slowly.
Sports are full of emotions, but that isn't an excuse for us to simply let loose with what's on our mind. Composure, class, those are what we need to remember when the moment starts to get the better of us. It's never easy, even with practice, but it's something we should all try.
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