At some point, every coach the target of criticism from so-called “experts”, whether they be fans, sports reporters, announcers, parents or alumni.

Consider the following when this happens..

“In order to reach the pinnacle in any field, one must learn to live on the edge, to enjoy the element of risk and danger – at least to a reasonable degree. Look back through the annals of time and I think you’ll find that people who had the courage to take a chance were those who shaped history. The people who played it safe, well, have you ever heard of them?

Theodore Roosevelt had some great comments about this very issue. His words remind me of how many critics there are ready to pounce on your every misstep. The critics who never step into the ring, never actually put their reputation on the line, these are the people I see in Theodore Roosevelt’s comments. “

He said:

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again. Because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, he who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who know neither victory nor defeat”.

Special recognition to Tom Dorsey & Judd Biasiotto, Ph.D. and their column On Taking Risks in Life.