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Dear Editor:
This past Saturday, I watched a real coach. Sunday at lunch, I heard a heartfelt testimony about that same coach.
I’ve known some awesome, dedicated coaches in my life: Jim Belden, Phil Shelby, Dale Snelling, Steve Dillinger. These were men who dedicated themselves to their players and to their community. They loved to win, but they loved to help boys become responsible young men even more. Their goal was to equip their players to face the future by instilling in them respect, dedication, hard work and perseverance. The countless number of lives these coaches touched and the impact those lives have had in the communities they now live in is phenomenal.
Sheridan’s new boys basketball coach, Tod Windlan, is just such a coach. Yes, he wants to win. You can see it in his demeanor the moment he walks out on the basketball court. He has an intensity that is contagious, not just for the team, but for the fans as well. There’s no doubt he definitely wants to be a winner, but he wants more for his players than just a win.
Tod coaches every moment he’s with his team. I watched a heartbreaking loss for Sheridan on Saturday, but Tod never stopped coaching, never stopped guiding his boys in an effort for them to be better.
With less than 15 seconds left in the game and Sheridan down by over 10 points, Coach called a timeout. Why? He knew he couldn’t win. It would have been easier to let the clock run out, get on the bus, lick his wounds, and go home. But he didn’t do any of those things; he called a timeout. He coached his team to the final buzzer. He laid the groundwork for a time when a last-second timeout may win the game. He taught, encouraged, and set an expectation that his team will fight to the end regardless of the perceived outcome.
That’s what great coaches do. That’s what great coaches teach their players to do, not just on the court, but in life.
Sunday, I asked my grandson, who plays for Coach Windlan, what he thought of his new coach. Here were a few of his thoughts:
“He makes us work hard. He makes us want to do our very best. He brings us together as a team, and that makes us all stronger. He cares about us.”
What a testament to a coach, and I’m thankful my grandson is experiencing the benefits of having such a coach in his life.
Do I want my grandson to win basketball games? Absolutely. But I want him to win at life even more. I personally know the difference a great coach can make in a young man’s life, not just today, but for the rest of his life.
I’m grateful that Sheridan has hired this man to guide their basketball program. Coach Windlan is a real coach, a great coach, and he will have a tremendous, positive influence on the young people he coaches during his career.
Rex Dillinger
Noblesville