“You don’t have to be great to serve, but you have to serve to be a great leader.”
I am currently putting my initial topic for this week on the back burner to talk about an experience I had today. This afternoon, I went to help the Sussex Academy girls lacrosse team and while I was waiting for the team to get ready, I was surprised to see that the captains had not yet arrived. After some further discussion, I discovered that the captains get the middle school girls stretched and warmed-up before the head coach arrives. Once the coach arrives, the girls come back to their own team’s practice. Needless to say, I was very impressed by this and it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes by Jon Gordon, “You don’t have to be great to serve, but you have to serve to be a great leader.”
I decided to write about this because it is very important that at Incontrera Strength and Conditioning, we don’t just teach proper technique and help people achieve their goals. It’s just as important to teach them how to be a leader. When we have groups in the gym training, we have different people lead stretches, and then our more experienced trainees help demonstrate the different exercises that will be included in that day's workout. It’s not about playing favorites or singling people out, it’s about asking individuals to communicate with the rest of the group—share what they already know and give them the opportunity to lead. While leading may come natural to some, it’s something that takes practice for many. It’s good to give everyone opportunities to get comfortable leading and feel the reward of having their peers follow. One of my proudest moments was when my group of fifth grade boys came in— one kid got them lined up, and they started their warm up without me having to say a word! While I have other groups and teams that do the same, it was impressive to witness a group of boys at such a young age exhibit such leadership! It’s that type of behavior that shows commitment and focus, qualities not often developed in those earlier years.
A great leader does not demand people to do what they say, they do not believe anything is beneath them, AND they don't talk down or belittle the people they’re supposed to be leading. A great leader leads by example from the front, and often sacrifices their own comfort or glory in order to raise up others around them. A great leader is a servant to his people. They should always be willing to help others and share what they already know. It may mean extra work for them, and it may mean that they show up late to their own practice, but they are raising up the younger team so they too can succeed. In a team atmosphere, that’s what it’s all about.
In the example of the Sussex Academy lacrosse team, these captains are giving the younger girls an opportunity to be around the “hot shot” players they look up to, and are also creating a bond with their teammates. It’s the same reason an upperclassmen might be paired with an underclassmen in another scenario. It’s to show them the ropes and to create that bond that can’t be duplicated outside of a team atmosphere.
When things go wrong on the playing field or even in the workplace, people know who they can count on. It’s not always the person that is the most successful or the highest scorer. More often than not, it’s the person that the entire group feels comfortable working WITH. Not many things in life require zero help from teammates, friends, or family. It’s important to be the person your people can trust and rely on in a pinch. The Sussex Academy Women’s Lacrosse team is creating that bond and starting a tradition that will without a doubt, bring them a lot of success in the future.
- Coach Tom