Honesty is best

A few days ago, I was thinking about a guy that had been hired at a place where I worked years ago.

What is interesting about this guy is how he could involve himself in almost any conversation. It seems that this guy did it all. As we listened, it became quite clear that this guy had trouble keeping a job because he couldn’t tell the truth.

This guy was in his early 30s, yet he had already driven over one million miles as a long-haul trucker. When someone asked what I did over the weekend I told them that I had a rugby game.

Immediately, this guy says, “I played rugby!” I answered, “Really! Where did you play and what position did you play?” The answers to those questions were unclear as he realized he had to do something else. The words compulsive liar rang true for this guy and his time as an employee was short.

It was time for me to lie by saying, “Look at the time, I need to be anywhere else very soon. I’m sure that in today’s world he would have said, “Where do you need to go? I’m also an Uber driver.”

I’m sure he would also have a million miles under his belt with no accidents.

There are coaches at every level that have stretched the truth some. Their resume is a bit glowing when it comes to education and years of experience.

It really isn’t difficult to find out what degree was earned.

It makes me wonder if coaching applicant think they can make their life history so impressive that no one would ever check with their alma mater just in case since you will be working with young people in order to impact their lives and if lying is part of your life they may not want you to impact their scholar-athletes in any way, shape of form.

There are a few coaches that seem to run from their past to start from scratch.

Some get fired and others just don’t click with the coaching staff, team, administration or parents. It’s a fine line.

There are some coaches at every level that have been able to keep their job as an assistant, even after a head coaching change. This is somewhat unique at the college and pro levels, but it happens.

Experience, knowledge of the game and players, as well as honesty, are important in staying on after a head coach is fired, retired or leaves for greener pastures.

When a coach interviews, a hiring committee may ask things like making it to bowl games, win conference championships or even national championships.

At the high school level, it might be league wins, playoff runs and winning a state title. I have a friend that was asked this question in an interview and he said I can’t make a promise like that without first seeing the talent I would be working with.

He didn’t get the job but someone that he had attended college with did. He did take one team to state, but fell short of the championship goal.

So, who was most honest and who got the head coaching position.

I was once asked in an interview what I would want my team to be able to do. I told the interviewers that I would like to fast break and press. But for that to happen, you have to have good athletes with a lot of skill or else you might just be constantly teaching survival skills to finish a game.

I got the job; I was also the only applicant. But the committee appreciated my honesty.

I see a lot of coaches that want to coach when there is a lot of talent to have a great won-loss record. Oftentimes, the person that makes the biggest impression is the one that is honest and doesn’t care what the win-loss record is, but cares about the future of the kids they coach.

— Dale Anderson is a sports columnist from Ritzville. Email him at [email protected].