Coaching ungrateful folks hurts! Nothing is worse than working with a player, watching that player win, and then getting the shock of your life when they thank someone else! It is easy to say “don’t take it personally; there are political reasons and yada yada, but the bottom line is when you work hard with someone, watch them improve, and then they do not appreciate it; it is hard to take. It definitely is not the athlete’s fault, but the coach’s fault.
Case in point-a player comes to me with story about a friend who cannot afford lessons etc and I help the player Pro Bono, only to see this player posing with a ‘celebrity” player coach after their lesson with! Of course they paid the celebrity coach and somehow found money to do that.
Now that frosts my buns! But it is good reminder to me of why I charge money for what I do and should never give the information away for free because then it is not appreciated!
Will I stop doing pro bono work? Probably not, because I am a sucker for a hard luck story and I love racquetball. But if you think I do not see you “posing” on fb and cozying up to one of my competitors in the coaching field, you are mistaken! Tip of the day-Players! Appreciate those who help you-Better yet-recognize the difference between those whom you need for help and those who need you for their cred!