ARCHIVE

Colburn comments: Doing it right

One of the perks of my job is getting to go inside the Marion High School Warrior locker room after football games.

MHS head coach Grant Thierolf and I have an understanding that his post game comments to his team are off the record, though I am free to follow up with him about something I hear in a formal interview.

I don't believe it is a breach of our agreement to comment in a more general fashion about what I've observed, though if I find the door barricaded the next time I try to enter, I'll know I was mistaken.

I've previously known Coach Thierolf only from occasional encounters at church over the years, where I always found him to be friendly and upbeat.

The post game Coach Thierolf is that and so very much more.

It's evident from only two short visits that Thierolf views the football field and the locker room as classrooms where the lessons to be taught go well beyond x's and o's.

I've been impressed with his ability to acknowledge individual accomplishments while never placing their importance above that of the total team effort. Scout team contributions are as highly valued as those of varsity stars.

He is adept at raising team shortcomings in a particular game in a positive manner that highlights the need to improve without belittling the effort his student-athletes put forth.

In the two times I've listened, he's not missed an opportunity to emphasize lessons that will endure long beyond the gridiron experience, lessons about teamwork, work ethic, positive attitudes, commitment, continuous improvement and personal responsibility.

Former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Dick Vermiel has made a lucrative second income conducting seminars for businesses on how to be successful by emphasizing the exact same principles and techniques in working with their employees.

For Thierolf and the other dedicated coaches in USD 408, the payoff they get is the hope that through their efforts their students will be better equipped to have more productive and fulfilling lives.

I fully expect to be taken to task by Coach Thierolf for singling him out like this. It would be completely consistent with his nature to deflect the focus from himself to his team and his colleagues.

I've commented on Coach Thierolf by default — in my two short weeks on the job the locker room visits have been unique opportunities. I'm already convinced that two or three months from now there will be other names I could freely substitute for his.

I've seen enough examples of these same things from other coaches in the Marion-Florence district to be truly encouraged that our coaches are "getting it right." I'm looking forward to getting to know them better and watching them work with our youth.

In an age where we're bombarded daily with stories of the antics of overpaid prima donna professional athletes, it's truly refreshing to see coaches whose primary mission is to make their students winners in life, and not just winners on the field or court.

Quantcast