Coaching is so much more than showing up for games and practices. A good coach can have a lifelong impact on their players, teaching them leadership skills, conflict resolution, a hard work ethic, and more. At LuHi, we expect all our coaches to focus first on Christian Character Development and second on the wins and losses.
At the end of each season, we measure our coaches on three aspects:
- Christian Character Development
- Knowledge of their sport
- Connections to the community
Coach Bill Brandsma, Director of Coaching Development, shares, “Each of these criteria is vital in how our coaches approach their program. We want coaches to strive to create a culture for Lutheran Athletics to be more than a sport.”
Christian Character Development
When coaches are evaluated on this first criterion, they answer the questions, “How are you building Christian men/women? How are you developing faith in your program? And how are you building a positive culture?”
Athletic Director Rachelle Robbins shares, “We want coaches that not only know and love their sport but know and love their athletes as well. We want our coaches to build impactful relationships with our athletes that will last a lifetime. We also want all our coaches to keep Christ at the center of their program and help teach these young athletes that through victory and defeat, God is always Good and our identity is never found in a sport, or identity is in who God has called us to be!”
Knowledge of their sport
Each coach is expected to continue to grow in the ins and outs of their sport. Sports are an ever-evolving thing. Sports have experienced rule changes, gameplay style changes, and popularity fluctuations. Experts are also growing in the knowledge of how training demands affect growing teenage bodies. We want our coaches to be well-versed and up-to-date in their sports.
We develop our coaches in a number of ways:
- Coffee with Coaches: This once a month event is led by Coach Brandsma, Director of Coaching Development, and includes a round table discussion of important issues coaches face. This allows coaches (experienced and inexperienced) to give advice and ask questions.
- Coaches Clinics: All LuHi coaches are CHSCA members and have opportunities to attend conferences/clinics.
- Opportunities to collaborate with others: This can look different based on coaching preferences. Coaches have attended college practices to observe coaching at the next level. Others have had guest coaches join their practices. Some set up meetings with college coaches to learn and gather deeper insight into the game.
- Mentoring meetings: Coach Brandsma has an open door policy to mentor and meet with coaches.
Connections to our community - Lions Give Back
Each athletic program does at least one service project per season in the Denver area. We call this program Lions Give Back.
Coach Brandsma shares, “Lions Give Back has been a huge success among the Lutheran Athletics community. These opportunities give athletes exposure to the needs of our community and allow them to give back out of the abundance we have been given through the opportunities created in sports.”
Rachelle Robbins agrees that this program is vitally important to LuHi culture. “We know we are truly blessed at LuHi, and Lions Give Back provides our student athletes and coaches the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The stories and feedback I have received are amazing. Lions Give Back not only allows us to help where there is a need; it provides our programs with yet another opportunity to bond and build relationships outside of practice and games.”
Some places our teams have served so far this year include Sarah’s Home and the Justice Run, Lifeline Christian Ministries, Orphan Grain Train, Movement 5280, Miracle League, Treasure House of Hope, and The Patch.
The LuHi Athletic Department shares the same mission and core values as the school. We want to provide a highly relational environment where students know they are seen and loved by their coaches. We want our coaches to be highly talented and passionate about their sport. And we want LuHi athletes to be coached from a Christian worldview.
