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19 Years Coaching and Still Learning for the Girls

Published: April 13, 2021

With 19 years of coaching behind her, what more can Carol Fletcher possibly learn about shaping skills and winning games?

Plenty, says the long time coach of middle school girls basketball in Roxana, Illinois.

This fall, Coach Fletcher, a student in Greenville Universitys all-online masters in coaching program will launch a new coaching season, mindful of influencing her girls in areas that she valuesbuilding their confidence and helping them cultivate respect for others as they have fun on the court.

Greenvilles masters in coaching program, now beginning its sixth year, is helping Fletcher do just that.

Deepening Impact While Keeping the Fun

Skill and character development are both important, says the seasoned coach. Knowing how to treat others can and will make a difference not only on the basketball court, but also in life.

Part of the new for Coach Fletcher includes greater focus on building personal relationships, modeling character traits that will benefit her players, cultivating trust and making herself even more available to them.

Keeping the game fun matters, too.19 Years Coaching and Still Learning for the Girls

Because my players are pre-teen or teenagers, and they are going through so much in their lives and trying to figure out so many things, I would like them to think of basketball as being an escape from all those issues.

A Program That Resonates With Parents, Administrators

Coach Fletchers reflections come on the heels of negative stories about youth sports that have gained media attention over the summer.

  • In August, news outlets reported that officials disqualified a girls softball team from World Series play for an obscene social media post the young players directed toward their opponents.
  • In June, The Washington Post reported that verbal abuse from parents and coaches has created a referee shortage.

The masters in coaching program at Greenville University covers character and faith development, an approach that resonates with parents and administrators, says Greenvilles Head Mens Basketball Coach George Barber, also professor in the program. Barber speaks from 20 years experience engaging 1,500 youth from ages 8-18 in basketball camps each summer.

Public Schools, Personal Faith

The spiritual side of coaching is nothing new. UCLA coaching legend John Woodenoften called the greatest coach of all timeacknowledged that he kept a Bible on his desktop and intentionally led by example based on Christs teaching.

Even when rules and policies disallow coaches from sharing an overtly Christian message, they can draw lessons from Gods Word that help athletes grow.

I now see this is possible, says Fletcher as she surveys the coaching landscape on the threshold of her twentieth year donning a whistle and huddling with players. Opportunities for skill and character development have already found a place on her coaching agenda.

Learn More

To learn more about Greenville Universitys masters in coaching program, email Shannan Bernico at shannan.bernico@greenville.edu, or call 618-664-6751.

You can help students view their work as worship and welcome the presence of the living Christ to fill, equip and send them. Give today.

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