Cheekily, I'd reply "I teach young people!"
"Yes, sure, but what to you teach them?"
"I like to think I teach them positive values and behaviours to use in different contexts, and that everyone has the right to be heard and prosper."
I'd smile knowing what was coming...
"I do that by teaching skills, knowledge and appreciation through positive experiences with physical activity, maths concepts, and scientific principles...I teach Physical Education, Maths and Science."
I haven't taught for a couple of years now. I coach. Again.
When I tell people that, of course, I get asked, "What do you coach?"
Of course, "I coach people. I coach athletes."
And the circle completes itself.
That said, good teaching and good coaching have much in common. They're both about building relationships and journeys - providing positive experiences (physical, social and emotional skills; sessions, activities) for others to develop or improve. Their journey: to reflect upon where they've been, their past; to become more aware of where they are, their present; then aspire, plan and build towards their future.
But what type of athletes do I coach?
Arguably, there are many types' of athletes: amateur, professional, commercial, weekend, casual and so on.
People want to hear that I coach football, soccer or volleyball or basketball, or track-and-field, or, god-forbid, runners and triathletes. I've been there, done that. I don't coach the sport any more. The skills, rules and physical capacities to participate, compete and win in their sport are tools for coaching the person. Thus, I coach people.
To me, we are all athletes...each and every one of us who runs (walks, swims, skates, cycles, rows, skis, bowls, hits, kicks, lifts, or flips).
I used to think that the word athlete may come from a Greek or Roman God and that his etymology laid in a romantic Latin stem: someone like, say, Athletik or Athlus or Athlaton. Alas, no!
The word's origin is more humble. It doesn't sit atop a dias. It has no impropriety toward immortality. And for the better, as it brings it's roots undeniably closer to me and to you, to all.
