Why do I primarily coach high school athletes?
I coach some elite and pro-level runners. However, I am cautious about who I coach in these categories time-wise because I can only work with a few athletes well.
I intentionally limit the pro-level and national-class athletes I coach for another reason.
My primary coaching mission is to help high school students. I left coaching Olympic Trials athletes years ago to coach high school students and only recently returned to help a few pro-level athletes.
Helping high school student-athletes reach their God-given potential through the sport of running in aspects of their lives is my main focus each day.
Each coach has a different focus and scope in life. We need diversity in missions to help and serve others well.
Building faith through running is my goal and, ultimately, my mission.
My life focus is helping with faith formation in a faith-based high school because many evidence-based resources, including Meta Studies (the most accurate and reliable studies), state the most crucial faith formation years are the teenage years.
When attending traditional high schools, 70 to 80 percent of kids lose faith in college at one level or another. In a faith-based high school, the loss of faith is a fraction of that number if strong and appropriate faith formation happens.
Helping kids build their faith and life skills through
running is not at the top of any popularity list I am aware of in my
journey.
However, our time on this earth is very short. No one will remember us or our accomplishments after we are gone. All the awards, honors, and championships fade away. Poof, they are gone in the blink of an eye.
All that is left physically when we are gone is a box of trophies and ribbons that have little meaning to anyone except for a family member.
No, the reason I coach is much more important than pursuing championships and records.
The reason I coach ultimately comes down to building faith in Jesus from the heart and head.
I've spent most of my adult life researching historical information to help build faith.
Jesus revealed what is most important when confronted with the question of what’s most important in life.
Loving God and loving others is what matters most.
Use whatever gifts you’ve been given to Love God and to Love others well. Each person can love, help, and serve others with their gifts in unique ways.
How you use your gifts matters now and into eternity.
Blessings.
Coach Weber
Philippians 4:13