Tough Love
Summer of 1980. North Georgia. Sweltering heat and humidity so thick you had to chew the air to breathe. Late afternoon, high school football summer camp, 2 a day practices, practice number 2.
Coach Max Dowis. Older, experienced and didn’t take crap. THe old school football coach that always wore school polo, khaki pants and those black referee shoes year round. I never saw that man without a whistle around his neck.
Tired, whiny young men tired of practicing, and a coach that decided it was time to administer some tough love. He went from player to player, grabbed our facemasks and asked us point blank..”Are you going to grow up and be a man or be a yellow bellied piss ant the rest of your life? “
Youth need to earn respect and their status from older men, and that’s not bad. In my later years, I gratefully recalled my toughest teachers, most demanding bosses and coaches. I know these were the people who pushed me to be my best.
These were the people who took me seriously, the mentors that saw something in me, and invested their time to bring out my value. Tough love, sure, but love. It’s the kind of love I learned to respect and honor. It’s the kind of love I’ve spent my older years passing along.
Tough love or any love won’t work for anyone that it is given to too easily or quickly. It will turn that person into a lazy manipulator instead of someone with grit and character.
We need all forms of love to grow strong and confident.
Who were the teachers and mentors that took you seriously and showed you tough love?
Who are the young people you might want to mentor and show some tough love to?
Lead Forward
Semper Fortis
Chief Chuck