Schuckman: Calling someone ‘Coach’ is sign of respect they have earned

Jim Wosman no longer coaches baseball at any level at Quincy High School, but being a lifelong seamhead, he’s never far from the game.

So it was no surprise when he walked up behind me at a QHS game in the spring and asked if he could saddle up next to me on the wooden press table the Blue Devils have against the fence down the third-base line.

He didn’t need to ask. No one who has devoted the amount of time and effort Wosman has into coaching and teaching should have to ask.

So of course I obliged. To be honest, it was my honor to have him sit with me.

We spent the next 90 minutes or so chatting about baseball, his grandkids, my job and life in general. He headed for his truck shortly before the last out was recorded, and as he walked away, I distinctly remember saying, “Have a great day, Coach.”

It’s been more than 30 years since Wosman coached me in any sport — he’s coached football, basketball and baseball during his incredible career — yet every time I see him I address him as “Coach.” I always will.

Isn’t that the way it should be?

What some might not realize is the role a coach plays in the student-athlete’s life. It’s far beyond Xs and Os and well outside the lines. Certainly, they are there to turn good athletes into great one and good teams into championship-caliber squads.

Most coaches also serve as teacher, mentor, advisor, chauffeur and friend. They become caretakers for their players and their programs, and their impact never fades no matter how years or decades pass.

No two coaches I played for had more of an impact on my life than Max Miller and Jim Wosman. Professionally, no two coaches impacted my career more than Norm Stewart and Bill Connell.

Not a single one of them is still coaching, yet I still address each and every one as “Coach.”

I wonder if such a thing is fading.

Today, there seems to be a comfort level among athletes and their coaches where they refer to them by first name. Some still use coach, but call them “Coach Dave” or “Coach Bill” or whatever their name may be. To create a healthy, comfortable relationship is commendable, but does it show enough respect for what a coach does?

Coach isn’t a title you receive by winning an election or receiving a promotion.

It’s a title that is earned through commitment, sacrifice and care. It’s not a 9-to-5 job. It’s a 24-7 calling. It’s part of their DNA and their character. It’s what sets coaches apart.

Calling them “Coach” means they’ve invested everything into what they do.

Showing respect for that is something we call can do.