A Role Model Coach

Yesterday Nolan's lacrosse team played a team from Sandy... the Alta High development team. It was a good game. In the past seasons, Alta has annihilated the PG teams. This season, Nolan's team is finally putting it all together and working as a team and they have drastically improved (they are 5-1!) Yesterday's game was intense and very physical (mostly due to the way Alta played). The referees had their hands full calling fouls and dealing with obnoxious parents on the sidelines. Eventually the refs gave the teams a warning that if their parents couldn't behave, then the team would be penalized (the PG parents weren't the problem). Well, Alta's coach wouldn't let the refs call the game either and was yelling at the refs for every call that went against Alta. Then he started in on his players... it was awful listening to him screaming at these 12 and 13 year old boys. The game ended. Nolan's team held on and won. The players headed to the sideline and their coaches. The Alta coach was threatening his team with running laps if they didn't get over to him faster. Each team does a "cheer" for the other team then the players slap the other teams' hands. Alta's coach refused to participate or acknowledge the PG team or coach. Throughout it all, our coach (who has been known to be vocal and emotional with his older teams) stayed calm, professional, and positive. He was a great example to the boys. I think his composure spoke volumes and taught our boys a great lesson. After the game I told Troy how much I appreciated his behavior during and after the game. He thanked me for my comments then sought out his players individually and had something positive to say to each boy. What a contrast in coaches! Thanks Troy!