A high school football coach managed to divide the internet after he gave one of his varsity players some controversial advice before practice. The coach encouraged the young man to make a choice, and he was so sure his advice was the right thing to do that he posted a video about it to social media, but not everyone agreed with his recommendation.
Kurt Hines, the head football coach at Coronado High School in Coronado, California, garnered a lot of attention when he shared a clip on social media, explaining what he told a young varsity football player, who came to see him before practice with intentions of quitting the team, according to The Blaze. Rather than pressuring the player to finish the season, the coach encouraged the teen to quit the team.
“I just had a young man come in and quit,” a smiling Hines recalled in the clip. “I truly could not be happier,” Hines went on as he explained, “This young man was struggling all season with making it to practice, with committing. Never looked happy; some stuff going on. But I couldn’t be happier because he came in, things washed, shook my hand, I said, ‘Sit down for a minute.’ He started to explain how his family has always been a football family. ‘They’ve always loved it, my father, my brother.’ I stopped him, I said, ‘Do you love it?'”
https://twitter.com/CoachKurtHines/status/1438280654718787585
According to Hines, the unnamed student breathed a deep sigh of relief as he admitted that he didn’t love football. “I said, ‘I’m proud of you,'” Hines admitted as he sported a big grin. “I just saw his whole countenance change. He just smiled from ear to ear. I said, ‘You’re doing the right thing,'” the coach continued. “Football is not for everyone. I couldn’t be happier. Coaches, support your players if they want to be great. And, if they want to be great in something other than football, support them just the same.”
Hines’ video quickly went viral, amassing millions of views, but not everyone was a fan of the coach’s advice. In fact, the clip sparked plenty of negative feedback with commenters saying Hines should have encouraged the teen to finish the season before quitting. “Sir, I am a youth football coaching legend, and when my kids quit my team, I tell them their life will be all downhill moving forward and that I hope to never see them again,” one commenter wrote.
“I quit 2 times, 1st before Sr yr of high school but a great coach talked me back, it was best move of my life. 2nd during 2 a days Jr. yr of college, I’ve regretted it ALL my life! Quitting’s easy — keeping on is hard! Bad lesson to teach. I strongly disagree with your position,” one former football player chimed in, also disagreeing with Hines’ advice.
Ray Sullivan, a coach at Kirtland High School in Ohio, also seemingly disagreed with the coach’s clip. “What did he do in its place? If he is doing nothing then being part of a team, learning work ethic and learning life lessons is more than just quitting,” Sullivan wrote, according to Newsweek. “The easiest thing in the world to do is quit. I believe that being part of something even if the love is not there is better.”
“When I was a sophomore in high school, I walked into my basketball coach’s office and told him I quit. He basically told me no chance. It was a long road, but I ended up playing at university of Hawaii after high school. Then played 7 years pro overseas. I grew to love the game,” yet another unimpressed Twitter user wrote, but there was an equal number of comments that expressed approval of the coach’s decision to support the teen, whose heart was obviously not in the game.
“Awesome job coach! Thank you for being accepting of the young man’s decision and supporting him. I know it was hard for him to do that,” one such user wrote, pointing out that Hines’ support of the student was both constructive and positive. “To everyone saying ‘He shouldn’t quit’ or ‘Should’ve made him finish them [sic] he could quit’ what the hell is wrong with y’all?”
“The whole ‘always finish what you started, never quit’ mentality is why we have so many people stuck in jobs and relationships that make them miserable,” another social media user tweeted in response to Hines’ video. “In turn, they end up making others around them miserable as well. Know yourself. Trust your gut and do what you believe in.”
“Great Coaching! The best coaches and mentors support people in figuring out what they want & don’t want to chase with their time and energy. And I bet you’re the kind of guy who’d also help him find his next coach or mentor when he wants one. You Rock!” another chimed in while yet another added, “Lotta negativity in this thread but I’m supporting this 110%. It’s not ‘quitter’ mentality. It’s finding yourself. Watch this kid he’s talkin’ about do something extraordinary. Can the internet give a round of applause for anything?”
