Midwest Lasallian Coaches Convention
The Christian Brothers of the Midwest was happy to welcome 21 participants to its second Lasallian Coaches Convention titled “Your Lasting Impact.” The first Midwest District’s coaches convention was held at Saint Mary’s University in 2010. This year’s convention was held Presidents’ Day Weekend, February 17-19, at La Salle Retreat Center in Wildwood, MO. Participating coaches included men and women, from middle school to university level, representing a variety of sports such as football, golf, lacrosse, soccer and more. The coaches also represented all six of our Midwest Lasallian states: Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio, Montana, Minnesota and Missouri.
The conference opened with a welcoming session led by Midwest District Animator of Lasallian Formation and Vocation, Abby Michels, where she made the connection between the Lasallian charism and the coaching vocation. Inspiration for this talk and the event came from Edward Russell Keefe’s dissertation on “A Lasallian Formation Program for Coaches and Athletic Staff.” Brother Joel McGraw, the accompanying Brother for the weekend, followed by helping the coaches consider where and when the tenets of the “The Rule of The Brothers of the Christian Schools” could be useful in their coaching practice. The first night concluded with evening prayer, inspired by the Method of Interior Prayer of our Founder, Saint John Baptist De La Salle, and an intramural volleyball social.
Saturday began with prayer based on the 12 Virtues of a Lasallian Coach, adapted from the 12 Virtues of a Good Teacher by Br. Agathon, the fifth Superior General (1777–95) of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The group then welcomed Christian Brothers High School (Memphis) alum, Jacob Likes, currently a football player for the University of Memphis, for an inspiring keynote speech. Jacob shared with the group the influence his Lasallian coaches had on him and how their guidance contributed to the man he is today. Challenging him in body, mind and spirit, Jacob recalls that the coaches and Brothers who walked with him, “play[ed] both the teacher and big brother role.”
The bulk of the time was spent in breakout sessions whose topics helped participants coach the “whole athlete,” physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially/morally. Sessions were led by the convention’s planning committee members. They included The “Rock Bottom Kid”: When Stressors and Sports Collide and Accompanying Struggling Athletes Pt II: Case Studies by Mike Sirius (CBHS), 7 Ways to Lead the Lasallian Way by Butch Dimovitz (CBCHS), A Mission Driven Coaching Staff by Scott Brown (CBCHS), Sports Ministry by Jeff Weireman, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in Athletics by Vic Northern (CBCHS). Participants were able to pick the three topics of most interest to them. The coaches enjoyed interacting with the content, the presenter and each other throughout these educational breakout sessions.
Other components of Saturday’s included a strength and conditioning session, where the coaches were invited to workout and break a sweat with each other; an open panel, where the coaches were able to answer each other’s difficult questions about the reality of coaching; a prayerful evening yoga meditation; and some off-campus fun at a nearby joint called Dogwood Social House, where coaches could go axe-throwing and play other games.
The convention wrapped up on Sunday with a liturgy celebrated by Christian Brothers College High School chaplain, Father DePorres Durham, who spoke beautifully to the profound impact coaches have on their athletes due to the time and energy they spend with them. Coaches were lastly invited to share their takeaways from the weekend and write a physical, emotional, social/moral and spiritual goal they had for themselves, and for their teams, that they would like to bring back to their ministry. Coaches departed mid-morning to finish enjoying the long weekend with loved ones back home.
The Christian Brothers of the Midwest aims to host a fall coaches convention in 2024. Dates and location are to be determined. A special thank you to La Salle Retreat Center for hosting our group, and to Christian Brothers College High School for sharing its equipment and resources to help make this a successful weekend. And finally, a thank you to the planning committee: Jeff Weireman, Butch Dimovitz, Mike Skirius, Scott Brown, Vic Northern and Bre Lewis (CBU).
