Community Influence 9. The esteem in which a co by the community is an imp and will contribute mightily to his success. His conduct at all times must be beyond’ reproach. His associates must always be desirable ones. In some places you will find the pool hall gang who think they know more than the coach and will try to dictate if given half a chance. By all means do not allow yourself to mix with this group. You will need their support because in some cases they will prove quite influential, but you can acquire this if you are tactful and take a neutral stand. _ Do not take sides with them or with the opposite group either. If you are careful, you should have all forces swing their support behind you. Carelessness in con- ducting affairs in community life can cause a coach any amount of trouble. It is usually good policy to go to church and become active in its work. Support and become a member of civic organizations. Cooperation 10. Cooperate with your Superintendent and Principal at all times. Do not lose sight of the fact that they are your super- iors in the school system. By all means you must not give the impression that you think football is the most important thing in school. It you have teaching duties, do just as good a job there as you do in your coaching—make it a 50-50 proposition. 11. Lastly, be a coach who is education- ally broad minded. In all your coaching work keep the individual boy in mind and be forever trying to make him not only a better football player but a “bigger” boy mentally, spiritually, and morally. We, as coaches, have a big responsibility because we have the opportunity to influence so many young lives. Let us not fail. Scouting Report Book Beck’s “Football Scouting Report and Permanent BECK’S Record” is a new Football Scouting book that has re- Report ond ceived very favor- Permanent Record) able comments from Matty Bell of Southern Metho- dist University and many other univer- sity, college and high school coaches. There are five out- standing advantages of this publication: 1, A-check mark system that enables the scout to better cover every phase of the game, utilizing his time in observation instead of writing notes »2. Systematically arranged for filing in permanent record form; 3. Thoroughly indexed for ready reference—each phase of the game; 4. Attractive moisture proof cover, good bond paper and marbleboard back; 5. Reasonably priced at $.75 per copy. S APPROVED, AND USED MATTY BELL S.M.U. Misdirectors of Athletics By Harry W. Hueues, Ath. Dir. and Football Coach, Colorado State College. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Mr. Hughes starts his twenty-sixth year at Fort Collins this fall and is the dean of all coaches in years of service at the same school. He has won numerous out-right con- ference championships during his long service and put the Colorado Aggies continuously in the front rank. His versatility in coaching all sports is proved by the fact that Glenn Morris, who is the new Olympic decathlon champion, is a product of his track team.) WISH that what I have to say in this article could be impressed upon all of the thousands of high school athletes in America. I wish that all their parents could be impressed with it. Yet, it is a ‘very’ simple thought. “Don’t lose your sense of values,” ts one way of ex- pressing it. “Don’t put the cart before the horse,” is another way. Let me illustrate: Several years ago a college in the Rocky Mountain Region was visited in the middle of a summer by an all-state prep football star. The boy wanted. to, prepare himself for his carefully chosen life work by taking our course in forestry. He ranked scholastically in the upper ten percent of a large high school graduating class. The boy had a splendid personality, a keen mind and a fine physique. To Work His Way Being short on cash, he needed a job to help pay his college expenses. And after a conference at the student-employ- ment office, he found one that would barely enable him to attend college if he husbanded his finances carefully. His fine recommendations from his high school teachers plus his academic record — brought him this job. Within two weeks after that boy re- turned home, two other institutions of higher learning began to bid for his athle- tic services by offering him far more at- tractive jobs than the one he had found at the school giving the course he needed and wanted. The result was that he final- ly entered one and enrolled for a course in which he wasn’t interested and for which he wasn’t equipped in order to play football. Result—The boy “flunked out” and was declared ineligible. Next year he entered a non-conference college where there were practically no standards governing the participation of athletes. Having become a “tramp athlete,” one of the most _tragic types of human beings to be found today, he finally quit school altogether. Today, he is without a vocation and is making a living just by picking up jobs wherever he can find them. The Consequences That boy had left high school with a sense of values. He had put the horse of his life before the cart. In other words, [3] Harry W. Hughes he believed that preparation for a life’s work came first and athletics second so far as college was concerned. But he lost that sense of values when a “soft” job was offered him in return for his athletic skill. And when he lost it, he probably lost a lifetime of success and hap- piness. And yet, I don’t blame the boy. I wouldn’t be inclined to blame the hun- dreds of boys in America who every year are led away from a sensible attitude to- wards education in the same way. Those who deserve the blame are the misdi- rectors of American youth who for some selfish reason implant in the brains of high school stars the idea that athletics are more important than preparation for life. No adult can take any pride in persuad- ing a youngster in his teens that four years of collegiate athletics, with a soft job providing plenty of ready cash, are more important than sixty years of suc- cessful happy living. The “Old Grad” Let’s examine the nature of some of these misdirectors of youth: First, there’s the blindly enthusiastic old grad. Now don’t get me wrong: The old grad who is anxious to see deserving boys attend his alma mater might be a fine influence. He is, if in his efforts, he is guided by the academic courses offered there and by the opportunities which these courses present. But, if he is interested in the prep star merely because that star might help the alma mater win a few games, be- ware of him. High school athletes, take care! That old grad whose interest in you is solely in your physique, your speed, your physical courage and coordination, is a deadly enemy! Shun him as*you would a rattle- snake. His words might drip with honey, but his advice might wreck your life. The Traveling Coach Then there is the coach who wanders about his state and neighboring ones in the summer visiting prep stars. Often he is the worst danger of all. Coaches are often looked-up-to, and the high school grads are greatly flattered when a college athletic coach notices them. But, that coach is apt to want you at his college for very selfish reasons. When you have finished the easy college course of study (Continued on Page 4)