Some notes on football from the Headmaster...

Often in the middle of a game when our boys are just playing "flat", they will go into their half-time huddle with their heads hanging. Minutes later they emerge with renewed spirits and literally burst onto the field. "What did you say to them???" many of us ask Kevin. He is pretty non-commital, or shrugs and gives us a short reply "I believe in them." But just recently he has taken the time to write up some of his "football philosophy." For those of you who have followed the football seasons as avidly as we have here, cheered us on through the early years and kept on after our team became undefeatable in the district, I am posting Kev's philosophy. It is long, but full of the heart he has brought to the pitch and to the boys of Christ School for the last 10 years.

Christ School – Bundibugyo
Competition on the Football Pitch
[This paper is an outline of the fundamental principles for sports competitions at Christ School. Although the sport discussed here is football, the principles can be applied to any other sport. In finally putting my thoughts down on paper I was inspired by the ideas and advice of Joe Bean and Layton Shoemaker (www.powersoccer.ca ) I have added my own flavor and experiences to some of their wise words.]
We are a Christian school, and we seek to center all that we do on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Since we believe that the Christian faith is relevant to all of life, we must seek to apply our faith to the football program. If our faith does not make a difference in how we compete in football, then perhaps we should not compete at all. In particular, we should take a stand against the win-at-any-cost culture that has corrupted Ugandan football in the secondary schools. Schools seemingly will stop at nothing to secure a victory, from hiring mercenaries to feature for the team, to bribing officials, to forging papers for their so-called students. Instead, we should be developing our own students through hard work and discipline. Such a program may not always win and may never compete for the national championship, but it will build character in our boys that is consistent with the mission of the school.
Given the dishonorable state of secondary schools’ football, why should we participate at all? The following list of benefits gives some reasons for competing.
The physical abilities involved in playing football are a wonderful gift from God. Every time we walk onto the pitch, we should do so in a spirit of thanksgiving. Every time we compete or train, we should do so in a way that gives glory to God.
Sport is part of a holistic education. It teaches hard work, discipline, self-control, perseverance, concentration, creativity, decision-making, concentration, honesty, respect, teamwork, and skill.
We find joy in both the training/preparation and in the actual competition, joy that is different from the enjoyment experienced in the classroom when mastering a difficult academic concept. Each one hopes to be the hero, loves to be part of the team, and wants to participate in the excitement and drama that comes with every match.
Participating on a football team teaches one to sacrifice individual glory for the good of the team. We subordinate our personal objectives to the team’s objectives.
Football team members learn to respect and submit to the authority of the coaching staff.
Competition outside of Bundibugyo gives a sense of dignity and self-respect that otherwise is hard to build in such an isolated place.
The following is a list of character traits that we hope to build in our footballers.
Footballers respect teammates, coaches, officials, and spectators. They are willing to sacrifice self for the greater good even if that greater good is to set an example of integrity that has a higher priority than winning.
Footballers have confidence, not arrogance.
Footballers have an element of pride, but are not over-proud.
Footballers know that they do not need to tear someone else down to build themselves up.
Footballers view playing as a privilege and not a right.
Footballers look for ways to support, praise, and thank others.
Footballers do not make excuses or blame others. They learn from failure and move on to new efforts.
Footballers follow the commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” which can also be stated, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Footballers are full of laughter, enjoyment, and friendship, even during the most challenging training sessions.
Footballers know how to win and they know how to lose, and they do both with respect for the game, for the opponent, and for themselves. In victory, there is no place for downgrading the opponent; and in defeat, there is no place for downgrading your team. When you step onto the pitch, if you are not ready to lose, then you are also not ready to win.
The development of these character traits is how we choose to define success in the football program at Christ School. Maintaining these traits is more important than winning. Somehow when we learn to win or lose in the spirit of Christ, then the final score becomes far less significant. This is where process – developing Christian character – takes priority over product – having a winning team. When we become too much product driven, that is where our principles are compromised and corruption enters into the product. In such a case, even winning loses its attractiveness. In contrast, a program that prioritizes character development will influence the product positively, but it is never compromised by the desire to win.
Some implications of putting the focus on character development:
A. Fair play
It is normal for a team to show respect for an injured player by knocking the ball of bounds. Yet the same team will engage in practices such as shirt pulling, encroachment on a free kick, intentional fouls to stop a threatening player, diving in the penalty box, and play-acting to try to influence the officials. These practices are intended to gain an unfair advantage over an opponent. A team that is led by Christ will not do such things. They will play the game fairly and within the rules. They will follow not just the letter of the law but the spirit of the law.
B. Respect for the other team
If you respect a team, then you will play hard, fair and within the rules. If you are winning a match, the greatest respect you can show for the opponent is to compete without compromise for the entire match. No one wants to be downgraded or laughed at. Remember that one day the roles can be reversed and you could be on the losing end of a match with a team that is disrespecting you. Likewise, if you are losing a match, you show the greatest respect for the game and for yourself by competing with maximum effort up to the final whistle. Such an effort will also earn the respect of the opponent no matter what the score.
C. Not arguing with the officials
Treat officials as you would want to be treated. Officiating is a tough job, and no one gets paid enough to suffer abuse from players and spectators. Officials are human, and they do make mistakes. We should be examples of grace and forgiveness. And guess what? If you do these things, then officials will enjoy handling your team.
D. Supportive relationships among the players
Any successful program is built around solid and meaningful player relationships. If teammates don’t like each other off the field, they probably won’t respond positively to each other on the field. Supportive relationships are part of what it means for players to subordinate their individual goals to the team goals. Even if two players are not naturally friends, they will make the effort to get along for the sake of team unity.
E. Good attendance at training sessions
When there is poor attendance at training, this is clear evidence that the players are interested mainly in appearing in matches. They want to be noticed, they want to be seen by the spectators, so they only care about showing up at matches. This attitude totally misses the point of being on a team. Training is everything. That is where growth occurs, that is where team spirit is developed, that is where the life lessons are learned. You train and do physical conditioning, not so you can appear in a match, but so you can train better the next day. Matches are simply a test to evaluate how well you are training and growing as a team. Training is like reading at preps, and matches are like the final exam. You would never think of going into an exam without serious reading, and likewise you should never consider going into a match without serious training.
F. Players feature according to their training performance
Many players think that they should automatically feature in matches because of size, reputation, or natural ability. That is wrong thinking. The players who train with the greatest effort, discipline and consistency are the ones who should feature. Leave alone the big-headed player who thinks he is a gift to the team and believes he should feature any time he chooses to show up. Even if he is a better player now than some of the starters, soon they will bypass him due to his lack of effort.
G. The coach must set the standard
Coaches should always be aware that they are the ones who build the program that establishes the team’s standard of conduct. Some important habits for a successful coach are:
Win or lose, the attitude remains the same. Don’t get relaxed when winning, and don’t get discouraged when losing. Remember, the match is the exam, and every match is a teaching opportunity. No matter what the outcome, move forward from the match and help the boys to learn from it.
Model the behaviour you want to see in your players. Respect your boys and they will respect you and one another. Love and respect the game and in time they will do the same. Learn to emphasize the process (training) over the product (winning/losing).
Believe in your boys. It is a powerful concept. If you believe in them then they will believe in themselves. Boys are full of doubt and insecurity and feelings of inferiority. They need a coach who loves them and tells them constantly that they can “climb that mountain” no matter how high it is. You will be amazed at what they can achieve if you simply believe in them.
Be consistent. Come to training sessions 15 minutes early, not 15 minutes late. Try never to miss a training session. If you must miss, coordinate with the assistant coach so that meaningful training occurs in your absence. Every time you miss, it gives the boys many excuses also to miss.
Be positive at all times. When you must criticize, try to say three positive things for every negative comment. Always end training, halftime talks, and post game comments in a positive way. Your positive attitude will eventually influence the attitude of the team in a positive way. Remember that the boys are not out there performing for you. They are representing themselves and their school; therefore, you shouldn’t take it personally when they don’t measure up to expectations. They are still boys, not men, so give grace when they make mistakes.
Be organized. Have a clear plan for every training session. Just as you make lesson plans before you enter the classroom, you should make your training plans before you walk onto the pitch. Likewise, plan ahead for a match. Who are your substitutes? In what situations will you use them? What will you do in case of injury?
Get your own priorities straight. If you want to build Christian character in your boys, then you must have your own character grounded in Christ. What about your own heart? Are you too concerned about winning? Are you an example of integrity to the boys? Do you have the love that will motivate you to serve the boys with many hours of your time? Do you take time to pray for the boys and the team, not asking God for victory, but for their personal and corporate growth?
Talk to the boys. Take the time each week to have a sit down session during training. Let them know what you think is important, why training is crucial, how winning is not the most important thing, how they can honor God with their efforts, that you believe in them. Taking the pitch against professionals, club teams, and national players is intimidating to anyone. The boys need to know you believe in them win or lose, and that good will come out of their best efforts no matter what the final score is. If your words are consistent with your actions, then the character you want to develop in the boys will start to appear naturally from their hearts.
All of this discussion is about building a successful program. Most problems come from placing too much importance on winning. But if the qualities discussed here are emphasized, then you will build a program that will last. The whole idea of building a football program is to put together something that is meaningful and worthwhile. Memories of wins and losses fade over time, but building the character of Christ in boys will last a lifetime and even for eternity.
To build and sustain a program requires a coach who shows consistent performance over the years, develops meaningful relationships, promotes the program with enthusiasm and integrity, provides opportunities for growth and development in players, and stays true to his faith. Jesus is Lord, even on the football pitch, and we honor him when we compete in his spirit and for his glory. Follow his commandment to treat others as you would have them treat you. And at the end of the day, leave the results in God’s hands. Compared to the problems of this world, who wins or loses a football match is insignificant, but how you compete can bring lasting change in people.
“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.” (Prov. 21:31)