Who would be a coach? What drives people to take up coaching as a profession? You live in a world where you often feel like every day that goes by is a day closer to getting the sack. Sometimes you feel you have done a great job only to not get the results you desire. It is often said that when a team wins it is because of the players and when the team loses it is the coach’s fault. Look at Robbie Deans at the moment. Hailed as a super coach only two years ago, now being questioned as a coach. While all sides will have valid arguments to their respective cases on Robbie Deans, I am pretty confident he is a very good coach.

So what drives a person to be a coach? The pressure always builds on you. If you are losing then you should be doing a better job to help the team win. When you are winning, you are expected to win every game you play in regardless of the circumstances. While this is realistically not true it feels this way at times. Coaching can be a lonely place. For example, I am entering my seventh year as coach of the Hawks. Some would say I have out stayed my welcome and others will like the fact I am around for another year. In my time with the Hawks we have averaged close to 2000 spectators per game. I have been lauded after we won the Championship and also heavily criticised at different times. In fact on one occasion I was verbally abused after a game so badly that it could have lead to a physical clash, only I walked away. The abuse was disgraceful that I copped and I am sure most people don’t have to put up with such public ridicule because of their job – politicians are the exception of course as are a few other professions. However, I wouldn’t change my job for quids, I love it and the pleasures far out weigh anything else.

This leads me to a story of a friend of mine who is also a professional coach and has been a very successful one. When he first started his son was about seven years old and his team was not performing to the liking of the crowd. He did in fact eventually win a championship with the same team. Anyway they arrive home after a particular game and unfortunately another loss. His son comes up to him and says “Hey Dad, what is a d… head?” My friend asked his son why did he want to know that? The son replies, “Because the people in crowd said you where one.” This also shows what a coach’s family has to put up with as well. I am not saying that coaches don’t deserve a spray occasionally, we all do but they are constantly scrutinised by society almost as much as the referees but not quite.

I can tell you now and my fiancé will testify to this I am not becoming rich by being a coach of the Hawks. I have had to pick up plenty of part time jobs in my time to make ends meet in-between jobs. You work in a volatile environment employment wise and many people think you are paid extremely handsomely. While there are some that are, most are not. Plenty of sacrifices have been made to be a professional coach; certainly the biggest one is not locking into a career that has more security. I used to work as a sales rep for Coca Cola and I sometimes wonder where I would be had I stay with the company for a long period of time. I am sure I would be in a much more secure position and have a great super plan etc. Instead I have worked for two clubs that have gone into liquidation costing me thousands in pay. Found out after the clubs went under that I had years of super owing to me and now in a position where I couldn’t survive for long if I had to retire.

But this article is not about crying poor. It is to say that being a professional coach is not about the pay but about the fact going to work everyday is so easy. Even on my bad days I love it, and let me tell you there are some bad days after a tough loss or trying to deal with the egos of some of the players at times. I can’t wait to get to practice and work the players hard. I played the game for ten years in the Australian NBL and I know that you always felt better after practice when you knew you had done the work.

I coach because I love to see players succeed and the relationships you build with the players are most satisfying. We recently resigned Paul Henare to come home and for him to say that to come home and have me as a mentor so he can move into the coaching profession is an honour. Paulie has been coached by some very good coaches during his career and a comment like that reminds you why you do this. As with any volunteer coach who watches the smiles on the faces of a junior player when they start to have some success, it is no different for me. To watch as players grow and start to be rewarded is one of the most pleasing parts of my job. I know this, whether I was paid or not I would still coach and will most likely coach until I go to my grave. It is a challenging and rewarding profession that you never stop learning in.

With energy

Shawn Dennis