The Champions Dinner: A Gathering for Coaches

The vernal equinox is upon us. Schools are entering the fourth and final quarter. Spring sports are well underway. Andy Williams sang "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" about the Christmas holiday, but those of us in schools may suggest otherwise. Easter break is in sight and the end of the year isn't far behind. In short: it's time to prepare for graduation and other end of the school year traditions and gatherings. An important one to keep in mind is a banquet to honor and thank coaches. 

Athletics Office at St. Francis 2021-2022

When I started coaching at Saint Ignatius College Prep in 2002, the coaches' dinner was held at the iconic House of Prime Rib in San Francisco. The President of the school paid the bar bill and the staff sat in one room where the volume hit eleven. Yes, 11. The athletic director acknowledged retired coaches and thanked the school administrators for their support of our sports programs. Coaches who had worked for 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years received an honorary plaque. I know many people don't want another plaque, but I love mine. To this day, the 10 and 15 year plaques hang proudly on a wall in my office—a true badge of honor. My colleague, who has head of girls' cross country, told her husband (another coach) that he was the designated driver on the evening she got her 10 year award. We drank to that.

This event had cachet. You wanted to be in the faculty lounge the next day to share stories from the night before. I won't go so far as to say that people stayed in coaching to be invited to this dinner, but I know that folks saw it as a feather in their cap—albeit a cap that is often worn out, faded and tired from the story of a season. But that's coaching....

SI Athletics outgrew the HOPR and the number of on-campus coaches has diminished, so the narrative around this meal has changed. Thanks to the #1 golfer in the world, however I have a solution and it can be appropriated for any school: The Champions Dinner. 

This gathering is a nod to a meal that takes place on the Tuesday night of The Masters week (The Masters is the first grand slam event of the year in golf, and as I wrote here, my drug of choice). Past champions gather in the Augusta National clubhouse for a dinner hosted by the defending champion. No coaches or caddies, WAGS or wannabes. No media either.

Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 champion posted the menu for this year's event via Instagram. Mark Cannizzaro, the author of "Seven Days in Augusta" writes, "the menu choices reveal something about the players and where he's from." For example, Scotland's Sandy Lyle served haggis and Germany's Bernhard Langer served Wiener Schnitzel." Scottie's choices prompted some creative remarks. All that commentary got me thinking.

Why not integrate this tradition into the end of the year coaches' gathering and call is the Champions Dinner?!

Outstanding on-campus support for athletes at St. Francis

The purpose of the event is to celebrate ALL the success of our seasons. The athletic director can  announce the number of league, section and state titles as part of the program. Among those who earned a title, pick a name and ask him or her to choose the menu. Undoubtedly, it will reflect something about the coach and where he or she is from. 

We know victory tastes sweet. And it might be that much more enjoyable with a menu (and title) on display. It's also a great talking point among coaches—what would your menu feature?!

Cannizzaro adds, "It's one of the most exclusive dinner reservations on the planet, and it doesn't even take place on a Friday or Saturday night. It is, however, one night a year." The Coaches Champion Dinner may do the same.

At Saint Francis, we decided our coaches banquet would be a barbecue. One of the Assistant ADs loves to cook and offered to do that for this gathering. I told him "you know how people will say Don't quit your day job? This food is so good, you might want to think about it." (I was kidding) Not one single person walked away hungry from that dinner. All felt appreciated by his service. Could this Champions Dinner make room for skirt steak? ribeye? linguisa? burgers? Invite a coach to make the call. I don't doubt Chris could cook it. 

Truly one of the best meals I had last year....

Three time Masters champion, Phil Mickelson said that his favorite part of the Champions' Dinner is the conversation. He said "those dinners are usually the chance for the older guys to tell stories. Gary Player and Bob Goalby are great storytellers and they tell some fun ones. It's always fun when Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson tell stories because they always have some good ones of players I watched growing up. Some of us will add things, but usually it's the older guys telling the stories. I like to listen that week." My hope is that might be true for yours, too.

Alex Auerbach writes, "The life of a coach is incredibly demanding. Coaches are expected to work long hours doing cognitively demanding tasks like breaking down film, meeting with players to explain game plans, and preparing practice schedules. Coaching culture glorifies the so-called “grindset,” i.e., the idea that how hard you work matters more than how effectively. Unfortunately, coaches are often rewarded for this approach. It creates a sense of control amidst chaos and, as a coach has said to me, “nobody ever got fired for being in the office too much.”

Amidst this reality, take a night to make your coaches feel like champions Why not confer upon this group that they are part of something special? It is so important to help those who teach and coach feel appreciated and celebrated. Let them know the bar and/or the barbecue is open. 

Photo Credits
Scottie's Menu
All others photos from Coaches' BBQ 2022