School of sport: HEART STRONG

LOUIS Armstrong has been known to many generations as one of the greatest jazz singers and trumpeters. His hits included “What a Wonderful World” and “When the Saints Go Marching In,” but he worked hard for it; He is quoted (along with many others) as saying, “If I don’t practice for a day, I know it.

“If I don’t practice for two days, the critics will know. And if I don’t practice for three days, the public knows it.” He also aptly explained, “Musicians don’t retire; they retire when there’s no more music in them.” Small wonder, then, that one reviewer, Wynton Marsalis, wrote that Louis Armstrong “left an immortal testament to the humanity of the Americas of his day.”

Neil Armstrong is another man known to many generations, one who would have agreed with his namesake, “what a wonderful world” when he became the first man to walk on the moon and saw the moon and earth far away in the distance looked. The words he uttered at the time stuck with us for decades: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Then there’s Lance Armstrong, known to millions again, albeit for different reasons – to some no doubt the winner of an unprecedented and unsurpassed seven Tour de France yellow jerseys after amazingly beating cancer, to others the biggest cheater, Liar and bully in sports. One could argue that, like his namesake Louis, he left an immortal testimony to the human condition.

One could probably say, following Louis Armstrong’s description, that athletes don’t retire; they cease when there are no more victories in them. It wasn’t a small step when he started taking performance-enhancing drugs; it was a mighty leap into the sporting abyss.

Christophe Bassons, a former Tour de France rider who refused to use drugs, described Armstrong in the following way, although he condemned his drug use, as quoted in David Walsh’s book Seven Deadly Sins: “Armstrong is still a To be human with an individual personality built up during one’s childhood. I know he had a difficult childhood, which might explain his need to win at all costs, even if it means disrespecting other people. I don’t think Lance Armstrong is a great champion. He was just someone willing to sacrifice his morals to win at any cost. His story is a failure, nothing else.”

There are a few relevant points for us when we think about coaching our youngsters in sports. First of all, we can state that their childhood (including what happened at school) has a great influence on the development of their character and consequently will determine how they approach their sport. Whether their childhood is difficult or easy, it will affect how they approach the sport.

Secondly, respect for others is fundamental in sport – be it respect for fellow players, officials, coaches, opponents. This respect is reflected in the attitude of not having to win at all costs.

Third, the powerful lesson is that not only must we not give up our morals in sport, but we must make sure we have morals in the first place – and coaches must ensure that youngsters play, live and win by morals, values ​​and principles. It’s not about winning at any cost.

Fourth, we must note that Armstrong was no failure; his story is one of failure. Children need to understand the difference between these statements.

Finally, from Armstrong’s description, we can see that being a winner doesn’t matter; it’s important to be a champion. Our children won’t be if we don’t help them by following the points above.

Louis Armstrong was also quoted as saying, in reference to his music (but with equal application to sport), “What we play is life.” On another occasion he said, “You blow who you are,” and we can say in a similar sporting way, “We play who we are.” Who we really are is shown by how we exercise and operate.

How we train youngsters to play sports in their youth prepares them to live their lives in a similar way.

You don’t have to be strong in your arms, but in your heart; It’s the saints who will march in, not the cheating cyclists. What kind of sports world do we see? What kind of sports world are we producing? One small step for man…

• Tim Middleton is a former international hockey player and school principal who currently serves as Executive Director of the Association of Trust Schools. Email: [email protected]