Coach: New year, new ideas: It's time to make a move
This is a sports column, and the sports connection is coming. Just hang with me here for a few paragraphs.
Recently, while working with another organization, I attended one of the staff meetings and the topic of sales, more specifically selling advertising space, came up. There was one phrase that kept coming up at the meeting, and it was kind of a pet motto for our director of sales. He called it "make a move." Meaning if you have a connection, an idea, or any hint of an opening for a potential client, don't wait on it. Go ahead and "make a move."
Somehow that phrase struck a nerve with me. "Make a Move." I told our sales director after the meeting that you may have just given me an idea for a column for another paper I write for.
So, as I sit down to write this admittedly sports-challenged column, and how it could be helpful for the coming new year, I started to think.
The concept of "make a move," if taken to the next level, can be a great life philosophy (I will get to the sports aspect, I promise) and one that maybe could help guide you to bigger and better things ahead.
Thinking of starting a new job? Or maybe an idea you have been sitting on for awhile but yet haven't pulled the trigger? Thinking of joining some organization or volunteer activity that you kind of thought might be fun and challenging, but you always get distracted and never quite make the call to get involved?
The new church you have been thinking of checking out? That exercise program you know you need to start, the friend or relative you haven't called in a while. Maybe it's the girl or guy you are interested in but have been too afraid to talk to.
The possibilities and examples here are endless, but the "make a move" concept could apply to them all.
Why not give it a shot? Give fear and hesitation one big kick in the rear and tell them both to get out of the way, because here I come! Some "make a moves" might work out, some might not. Some could turn out to be uncomfortable, if not downright embarrassing, while others could turn out to be revelations and life-changing success.
But the point is that you won't know unless you "make a move." Maybe it is best for all of us to stop thinking about it so much, and just do it.
When I look back at my own experience, there were three "make a move" moments that dramatically changed my life. Interestingly, none of them at the time were major or momentous decisions, but instead just simple instances of taking a little chance.
One was calling up my local recreation department at the age of 16 to see if they might need any coaches. Everyone else coaching were adults or parents, but I thought, even as a young teenager, it would be cool to do. Seemingly innocent at the time, but still tough to make phone call for a teen that turned into a 40 year-plus coaching and teaching career.
Second was reading a small advertisement in a publication about doing your own radio program. After much consternation and thinking "no way I can do this," I finally called and pursued it, and it led to many years of something I really enjoyed doing: sports talk radio on three different radio stations.
Third is what you are reading here. I never had any training or experience as a writer when, somewhat haphazardly, I contacted our hometown newspaper at the time to see if they might want someone to write on community sports programs.
The editor was less-than-thrilled with the prospect, to be honest, but he let me do a couple columns. Long story edited to short: It led to writing every week for 6 years, 2 books, and my current gig here nestled comfortably into my "Coach's Corner."
Again, all three of these for me, at the time, were fairly inconsequential contacts or phone calls. But they all proved to be life-changing in many ways.
So you never know until you "make a move."
Now - and I told you I would connect the dots here to sports, so thank you for your patience - I just have this to say:
... to the high school kid out there who has never played a sport competitively, but is thinking of trying out for a team
... to the boy who would like to be a cheerleader, but afraid of the image of cheerleaders being girls only
... to the mom or dad thinking about volunteering to coach their kids youth sports team even though they don't know much about that particular sport
... to the 14-year-old thinking about maybe umpiring baseball for a very first job this summer
... to the kid who really wants to try the sport of lacrosse but is afraid to because his dad is a longtime devoted baseball coach
... to the high school girl who has suggestions how to make her team function better, but is afraid to talk to the coach
... to the team captain, or any athlete, who isn't sure if he or she should report something inappropriate that is happening in the locker room
... to the young student who has always thought about doing radio or TV but has been too bashful to try
... to the girl who wants to up her game and compete with the guys, but is not sure how to join in on those playground pick up games
... to the soccer player who has been goalie all their life, but would like to finally try playing another position
... to the parent who "sees things" going on with a particular team, but hesitates to contact the coach for fear it would hurt his kid's chances
... to the PE teacher who has been thinking about trying a new activity or new curriculum previously untaught in the school
... and even to an aspiring young journalist out there who thinks they can take this "Coach's Corner" bit to the next level
I say to you all: What do you have to lose? No regrets. Don't hesitate. Don't overthink it. Take a chance. Make a difference.
In short, "Make A Move"
• Jon Cohn of Glenview is a coach, retired PE teacher, sports official and prep sports fan. To contact him with comments or story ideas, email jcsportsandtees@aol.com.