COLORADO COACH- FALL 2017 Executive Director’s Message- LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU ARE A ROLE MODEL by John Burke The school year and its corresponding fall athletic season has once again begun and with it brings excitement and enjoyment for players, coaches, fans, fellow student, parents, and community members. At the very forefront of this environment is the head coach and his or her staff members. While the coaching staff is often so busy with the demands of the position to notice how many are impacted by their decisions and behavior, recent incidents here in Colorado and in other states continue to illustrate just how important it is for the head coaches and their respective staffs to project and demonstrate the proper behavior and decisions that are expected and even demanded, of their positions. For a number of years, the comment “I am not a role model” has become fashionable for professional athletes to mutter when he or she is involved in a questionable issue that involves a poor personal decision on their part, resulting in less than positive repercussions. We are not professional athletes and we all know the high school coaching profession does not pay enough for the hours spent, that the demands on coaches have continued to grow, that that we are evaluated more often and in more critical ways than the classroom teacher and that the job takes courage and self- sacrifice. While certainly to be considered, these factors do not remove the high school coach from the responsibility of being a role model to the players, coaches, parents and community. Coaches do not have a choice in this matter and need to come to this realization sooner rather than later. The high school coach will always be under constant scrutiny and will hold a very visible position and will have to be very careful in how we act, the decisions we make, and what we will do and won’t do. Listed below are just a few of the more critical areas that require the high school coach to be a role model: Healthy Lifestyle - In the areas of drug and alcohol use as well as the stance of illegal performance enhancing drugs the coach will always be the most influential person in the prep students’ life. Sportsmanship - This is perhaps the coach’s most critical opportunity to lead and demonstrate. It is imperative at all times to conduct yourself with class, dignity, and respect for yourself, for others and for the game. Appearance and Language - At all times the coach needs to dress professionally in relation to the position and to use only the most appropriate language regardless of the occasional frustration and emotion. General High Standards - If we expect our students and athletes to be on time and communicate as required, we as coaches need to expect the same of ourselves. Hold yourself to a higher standard than others and our players will do the same. These are just a few of the areas that coaches continue to be role models in the interest of all involved. Good luck to all this fall season.