PSportsYCHOLOGY

If yain't particularly a fan of sports, mebbe exit stage left.

But, if you enjoy looking into the makeup of mankind, mebbe give it a look see.

I sometimes wonder what life would bring if I would not have spent so much of the day(s) without sports. If one would do one of those 'pizza charts' and list things that your life is centered around.. sports would take up a very large portion of that pepperoni pizza for me anyways. Regrets? Not really, I love sports.. yeah but:

Can you learn life lessons in athletics?

Uh huh, my take anyways.

Wonderful read about a wonderful man this morning, (Tony Severino, long longtime Rockhurst High School Football Coach... writer Sam McDowell/KC Star.) He's 69, been at Rockhurst 35 years, been coaching 48 years. Eight time state football champions, runner up five times, semifinals 19 times, oh, and a HS Baseball State Championship too.

How so? What's he got others ain't?

Competing Coach says "I marvel at Tony. I've always said that he seems to have such a great relationship with his kids."

How so, many do, and they ain't as successful?

An assistant relates "I watch our teams and go back 30 years and our kids play the same way they always have.... there's not a day we do something at practice these kids don't know exactly what they're supposed to do and the exact same they're supposed to do it."

So... consistency?

Yes. Is that not a beautiful 'boss trait?' Life, good/bad within, lends us many varying moods, setbacks, accomplishments, yearnings - to do that for so long, so right, same expectations - I'll certainly take that from a boss.

Another competitive coach says "I'm not sure I've ever seen him in a stressful situation where he loses his cool. I'm sure he gets upset. I'm sure he has a bad day, but we never knew about it."

Me? I get mad at the world occasionally, curse, drive to nowhere for an hour trying to calm down... yes, maybe have a beer.. yes, maybe reply with something stupid on social media... I believe the vast majority of us will show our hiney at some point - kudos to this man for not doing so, for so dadgum long.

As we age, questions happen. How much longer are you gonna work (or bowl, ski, play softball, yada?) Tony's reply:

"When I forget what it's was like to be an 18-year old kid, and when I run out of energy, then it's time for me to get out.. I haven't forgotten what it's like to be a player."

Soooooooooooooooooo... you mean having a boss that sees the view from your 'cleats?' Far out. I've been employed by some wonderful companies, had some wonderful bosses - but how good of a quality/attitude is that to have in overseeing people? Simply, relating to them and what they go through day in, day out. That's the way, ah huh ah huh, I like it.

Being a high school football coach takes up ooooodles of time, ain't he gotta home life?

Uh huh, soon to be 50 years with the same lady. Teasingly he says "My wife will get on me because I can tell you something that happened in a game from 1980, but I can't remember what she told me yesterday."... all of which is lovingly pointed to --> "To this day, he often calls just to say he loves her." Dang.

So, let's add that all up: developed/maintained interpersonal relationships (at work and at home),consistency of expectations, composure, empathy (and much, much more 'good' within the article.)

The guy is an institution, and a lesson to/for us all. He is a wonderfully successful man, and it so happens it evolves around football. Shuffle the deck, replace 'football' above with any other type of business (retail, wholesale, construction, service industry, manufacturing, telecommunications, transport, yada) - and I bet he'd be just as successful there.

It's pretty neat to have folks to look up to, admire from afar, and yes, even attempt to emulate. Thanks Sam for the article, and thanks Tony for the life lessons.

Love, Victurd.