When I first started coaching and running clinics, I often heard the sentiment, "we are saying the same things, but our kids hear it differently coming from you".
At first, I think it can be natural that our ego might say, "we aren't saying the same things!" I can admit that I sometimes took this sentiment defensively in feeling that it diminished what I felt I was teaching.
However, as I have grown, I have come to realize that the power of your message can be amplified when you have different voices that kids look up to in different ways. Kids might hear the same message differently from mom and dad, then they do from a senior in high school they admire, or an outside coach they respect.
Matt and I have really learned to lean into this. If our voice can be heard in a different, positive way, we want to continue to reinforce and amplify the messages they are hearing from their everyday coaches, parents, teachers etc, as well as what we share with them.
As I work with kids more frequently, my goal with FCL, Best In Class, our athlete program and more, is to surround them with voices and people that I trust that can share our messages in a different light, or be received in a different way. I truly value the mentorship of this, and I never want to feel like I am holding kids back from opportunities because I feel threatened by what someone else might say or how they might say it. Our goal is player development. I think the power of additional voices can impact far and wide. That is another reason we are so excited to add Dempsey to our Athlete Program. Having her voice and perspective, along with Matt, Christian, Tim Muller and myself, only adds to the power of what we can provide players and families along the way!
We hope you found this helpful. We started First Class Lacrosse because we believe in the power player development. We believe you can get exponentially better if you combine a great work ethic with the guidance of knowing what to work on and how to do it. Luckily, we experienced it firsthand as players and coaches. Our goal is to pass on what we have learned and experienced to future generations of lacrosse players, parents, and coaches. Join our Email List here.