Latin School of Chicago

athletics A Coach's View For the approximately 75 percent of Latin students involved in one of the school's 65 athletic teams, the importance of their coaches as part of the school experience cannot be underestimated. The influence of coaches on Latin's athletes often lasts a lifetime. And, while the hours are long and the pay is meager, the dedication and hard work of our coaches are the key to the success of Latin's athletics program. For this issue, Latin Magazine asked some of the school's veteran coaches to share their mission and goals when working with young people. Tom Bower director of athletics and boys and girls soccer coach At Latin since 1981, Tom Bower heads both the boys and girls soccer programs. In 2006, he led the varsity girls soccer team to a state championship – the first for any team in Latin history. Coach Bower has been named Sectional Coach of the Year and Independent School League Coach of the Year six times. He is workshop leader for the Positive Coaching Alliance and vice president of the Independent School League. "Winning athletic contests and striving for success are obvious goals of participating in athletics," says Bower. "But a coach must always keep in mind the true nature of the coaching profession: to guide young people on a journey of self-discovery and learning. The responsibility of being a coach can be sobering. If you ask someone in their 50s about their experience in high school athletics, their eyes might light up and they will gush about the bus rides, the camaraderie, a big game or two, the rivalries. On the other hand, the 50-year-old might respond that high school sports was a nightmare – the coach yelled at them, or played favorites, or they felt pressured to perform. The point is that the high school sports experience can be powerful and the impact lasting. It is not all about winning or losing, and the coach plays a huge role in creating the tone." Modeling sportsmanship and good behavior on the field and providing positive feedback are Bower's key ingredients to good coaching. "The behavior you model is a powerful example to the young people whom you coach. Regardless of the passions 6 Latin Magazine inspired by the heat of competition either in practice or games, never forget that as a teacher or coach, you have the responsibility to guide young people. They should see your love and respect for sport, your recognition that failure is to be learned from and that success should be shared humbly. You cannot take sportsmanship for granted. You must work at it every day. "Positive feedback is underrated as an ingredient to effective coaching. Everyone seems to benefit from positive feedback. It affirms your effort and builds your confidence." The key teaching moments in high school sports, he says, happen during practices. "The lessons learned during practice about skills, competitive spirit, dealing with failure, teamwork and commitment are crucial. Because every athlete on a team participates in practices equally, every player on the team has an equal opportunity to learn these lessons." Dan Daly boys and girls cross country coach A financial planner with a passion for running, Dan Daly has been coaching cross country at Latin since 1990. During his tenure he has been named Independent School League Coach of the Year four times, the boys cross country team has taken the conference title nine times and won the regional championship once, and the girls have been three-time ISL champions and six-time regional champions. In 2004, Daly took the girls team to state.

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