PLENTY OF GOOD APPLES

Let’s not forget all the great coaches

Nobody talks about the planes that land.

That is especially true of late, considering the torrent of badnews reportage that relates to the coaching profession and the alleged treatment of athletes.

There is talk about some coaches sleeping uneasily, out of fear that past behaviour will be exposed by a former player. One tweet, or even one well-circulated rumour, can change everything.

It is worth remembering, though, that the vast majority of coaches don’t have to change. They are, by and large, exemplary. And you don’t have to look very far to find the success stories — the planes that land, as it were.

Consider the example of Craig Dickenson, head coach of the CFL’S Saskatchewan Roughriders.

When Dickenson was hired in January, one popular question was along the lines of: Is he too nice a guy to be a head coach?

Dickenson proceeded to guide the Roughriders to a 13-5 record and first place in the West Division. He was named the West’s coach of the year.

From marquee quarterback Cody Fajardo to the most obscure player on the practice roster, members of the 2019 Roughriders swore by Dickenson. Nobody swore about or at him.

Regina Pats head coach Dave Struch is held in comparably high regard. It seems that Struch never, ever has a bad day, win or lose.

Struch was handed the coaching reins by Pats general manager and vice-president of hockey operations John Paddock following the 2017-18 season.

During Paddock’s four seasons as the Pats’ bench boss, his rapport with the players was routinely referenced in this space.

While being interviewed by the media, Pats players typically referred to Paddock as “John,” as opposed to the conventional “Coach.”

From this perspective, it seemed rare for a teenage athlete to be on a first-name basis with a coach. But when I bounced that observation off Paddock, he matter-of-factly noted that, as a major-junior hockey player in Manitoba, he referred to Brandon Wheat Kings head coach Rudy Pilous as “Rudy.”

At the University of Regina, Cougars women’s basketball head coach Dave Taylor is, quite simply, “Dave” to his players. He is a friend as well as a mentor.

The men’s basketball coach, Steve Burrows, is another firstclass individual — someone who is universally liked and admired.

Burrows’ unwavering good nature was underlined in December of 2007, when he was involved in a fender-bender near the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Park Street.

The other motorist was clearly at fault. Yet, when Burrows emerged from his slightly dented vehicle, he greeted the offending party with a smile and a friendly, “How are you doing?!”

The collision was caused by, er, yours truly. Yet, the personal interaction was cordial, unlike the interaction of our vehicles.

I was introduced to Burrows, under better circumstances, when he coached senior boys basketball at Winston Knoll Collegiate.

In return for devoting countless hours to coaching young athletes, Burrows was lavishly compensated to the tune of $0.00.

Every high school coach is in the same position, yet there is nary a complaint.

Evenings and weekends are often devoured by coaching. At some point, there is also marking to be done. Family time is sacrificed by coaches whose selflessness isn’t lauded nearly often enough.

The commitment extends to non-teachers who volunteer as assistant coaches for a variety of Regina High Schools Athletic Association activities.

We all have heard the horror stories about overzealous minor hockey parents, but what about the coaches who have to calm the waters?

It must be tempting, in many cases, to simply step away and enjoy more relaxing nights at home, away from the stress and the screaming.

Well-behaved parents predominate, but how often do you hear or read about them? They, too, are the planes that land.

The intent here is not to ignore or dismiss the very real concerns that are reverberating across the sporting universe — especially in hockey, where stories pertain to alleged bullying and racist comments by coaches.

But at a time like this, it is useful to apply some perspective to the discussion while appreciating the coaches whose wins aren’t always recognized on the scoreboard or by the public at large.