Third, I have been involved in coaching youth football for years and it is an activity that has always been rewarding on several levels. Only recently did it begin to dawn on me that coaching in the manner that I have been doing somewhat successfully incorporates many aspects of teaching, irrespective of the fact that it is unrelated to academic studies. In principle, it requires the same fundamental ability to conceptualize ideas and communicate them in ways conducive to the meaningful understanding of learners. It eventually occurred to me that teaching the elements of pass route running or reading defensive alignment indicators on a football field requires many of the same skills as teaching in general. Similarly, I realized that the sense of satisfaction that one derives from watching a football player execute plays correctly as a result of my coaching contribution must be similar to that which motivates effective...
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