For every competitor there is a Coach by their side helping thatcompetitor to reach its goals of being a Boxer, Wrestler, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsuor MMA champion. Is it really known asto what part the coach actually plays in the competitor’s life? We are all aware that the coach is there toteach technique, to condition that athlete, to coach when they are sparring,rolling or wrestling depending on the art, to be in the corner when thecompetitor competes, to provide first aid when needed, to believe in the competitorsability when they do not believe in themselves, to instill unbeatable confidenceand basically to prepare the fighter to compete; this we all know, but whatother part does a coach play in a competitor‘s life? A coach is there to provide a shoulder to lean on when thecompetitors life is falling apart, or when their girlfriend left them, or theyhave been kicked out of their family home, or when they have no money, or whenthey need to bailed out of jail, or when they have no food, or when they need shoes or other equipment tobe able to train, or they have no money for gas to get to the gym, or they neaddental work and have no dental insurance, or they have no clothes to wear, orthey are traveling to a fight and have no money for food or they have no familysupport, or their parents are not supportive, or they want to take their child toDisneyland, but can’t afford it and on and on and on……. There are Coaches who are there to train the athlete andthen they walk away, and then there are Coaches who are there to train theathlete in the art/sport and there to train them in life. I have seen many Coaches who will work withan athlete, but ignores the fact that the athlete is in pain because he doesnot know where he is going to sleep that night or ignores the fact that theirtraining shoes are held together with tape. Then there are what I refer to as a Real Coach who trains the athlete’smind, body, and soul. A Real Coach will give his last dollar to provide food forhis athletes, will have to attend competitions even when they fall on aanniversary, birthday, or special family events, will drive his competitors 27hours to compete and never ask for gas money, will buy clothes for theirathletes, will give free room and board for his athletes until they are able toget on their feet, will buy newequipment, shoes, mouth pieces for their athletes because he knows they can’tafford them, to pay hundreds of dollarsin medical/dental bills for their athletes, they can read their athletes andtell if they are having emotional issues, but can’t tell if they have emotionalissues in their family, they will talk hours on the phone to with theirathletes, and then sometimes are too tired for family time. A Real Coach knowsthat he will be blamed if the athlete loses, and will be forgotten if theathlete wins. He knows that an athletethat he trained to be a Champion can walk away at any time but the Real Coach stillbelieves 110% in their dream. A Real Coach will give their time, their money, their heart,their home because they want that athlete to achieve their dream of being aChampion, Boxer, Muay Thai Fighter, MMA Fighter, Jiu Jitsu or Wrestler. A Real Coach believes in their Athlete, more thanthe Athlete believes in themselves. . ASGCoaches give 110% to their athletes 110% of the time, even when their athletesonly give 50%. The Coaches, of Academy of Striking & Grappling, Moreno Valley, are Real Coaches. |