All high school sports offer coaches the opportunity to use integrity as decisions are made. Players can learn important life lessons if coaches teach and coach with integrity.

Lead by example

High school athletes are very impressionable and look to their coaches for motivation, instruction and feedback. If coaches overemphasize winning and losing, that mindset will inevitably trickle down to the players. Coaches should emphasize the value of fair play and respecting one’s opponent. The success and development of a team often begins with the coach and that is a tremendous responsibility. If coaches neglect integrity and focus only on winning, what is the message being sent to high school athletes?

Emphasize what is most important

“Remember, results aren’t the criteria for success – it’s the effort made for achievement that is most important.” – John Wooden

Coaches should emphasize the importance of giving one’s all; not just in games or matches, but in every single practice. High school athletics are a wonderful part of a complete high school experience – a chance to represent one’s school, make friends, compete and develop as an athlete. Coaches should highlight these aspects so that players will learn to value what is important instead of simply wins and losses.

What is our job?

The most valuable words of wisdom I’ve ever received as a coach were from a fellow coach. He explained that our job is not to win games or simply teach our players the sport. Our job is to teach them about life. If we, as coaches, keep this in mind and emphasize what is important then we can have a profound effect upon our players’ character development.

Integrity is vital in all sports, but tennis players find themselves in a unique position. The overwhelming majority of high school matches are played without an official present, meaning the burden of officiating is passed on to the players. The players are tasked with keeping score and determining if a ball is “in” or “out.” That is an enormous amount of responsibility and can be particularly challenging when players are juggling the desire to win and the desire to maintain integrity. Tennis coaches need to understand the vital role that integrity plays in their sport and how to effectively teach valuable life lessons that not only benefit the game of tennis but the athletes as well.

Throughout the course of a match, there will inevitably be multiple close calls and most likely a few incorrect calls – either made purposefully or through simple human error. This can be particularly maddening as the only recourse is to ask opponents if they are sure about their call. In the end, the call must be respected. The temptation to cheat or rectify a perceived incorrect call – by cheating the opponent on the next close call – is always present and something that can mar an otherwise great match.

Tennis players must understand that by acting as their own officials, they are handed an incredible amount of power. When presented with a shot that is neither clearly in or out, they could call the ball out and win the point or give their opponent the benefit of the doubt. While that can be exceptionally frustrating – especially during important points and matches – displaying that amount of sportsmanship and integrity is something that is far more important than what is found on a tennis court.

Tennis players must also learn how to handle disputes that invariably occur. An unfortunate side effect of giving opponents the benefit of the doubt is the possibility of an opponent intimidating a player into calling shots in that are truly out. Players should not be intimidated by opponents as long as they are confident in their call.

In order to effectively instill integrity in one’s team, coaches must make it known that they value integrity over the match’s outcome. Unfortunately, American culture – specifically in sports – has a tendency to focus on the result while neglecting the process. High school athletes want to make their coaches, teammates, families and friends proud and often they define that synonymously with winning. If coaches can get their athletes to understand that the process (competing with integrity) is just as important as the result (winning), players may not feel such intense pressure to win at all costs.

The tennis court is a great place for high school athletes to learn valuable life lessons and develop virtues outside of the classroom. What better way to learn the true meaning of integrity than when it is the only thing standing between an athlete and victory as an opponent’s shot hits the back half of the baseline?