Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-05
AGAINST COLLEGE COACHES STARTS WILLARD AGREES
"Out With College Coach"
Stirs Up Bitter Objections

I dents under his control than any
one in the universities.
Our American college faculties
are composed of men of high purpose
and example, men who typify both
the value and dignity of scholarship.
The character of the American youth
is greatly enriched through associa-
| ton with these men and the inf1u-
ence they spread. Consequently it is
in no sense the intention to belittle
| faculty influence, but 1t is intended
to show that there exists an influ-
ence equally potent, one that should
cooperate with this faculty influence
to attain even further ends. l mean
that influence for good that a man in
charge of athletic teams can exert
by ways and means that a great op-
portunity is being neglected through
the failure to fully appreciate just
what coach can accomplish to-
ward the general moral uplift-if
that coach is so minded and directed.
For years the coach has been the
subject of much criticism by college
faculties and has been tolerated
practically in the light of a neces-
sary evil. They resent (first) the
amount of salary he is able to COM
mand; second, they resent the prom
ihShCc lltI Is given 10 Ills WOTh-
Often the team is spoken of as Coach
this or that's team without even the
mention of the college which the
team represents. Third, they are
continually in a state of mental un-
rest for fear that the coach, or the
team as typical of him, will do some
thing to bring the college before the
public in an unfavorable light. AS
a remedy they suggest less promi-
nence to college sports and economy
economy even to the extant of do
ing away with thir professional
coach-or, if tolerated, let it be un-
der formulated conditions that will
fix clearly upon the coach any re-
sponsibility for criticism that the col
lege and team may undergo.
Sanford maintains that a coach
makes the team if he is the real
thing. Says he:
LAS Robert Bruce defied despair
so should the coach stand for un-
firing and persistent endeavor. He
should instill and inculcate this so
thoroughly in the teams of the insti-
tuition that it should become charac-
teristic of all the efforts of the en-
tire studentsbody, athletic or other
wise. 1t is a plain unvarnished truth
that the athletic teams of a college
typify its general temperament. If
the teams have the spirit of win
the rank and file have it, too. The
faculty gives these men the mental
tools and teaches their use, but the
athletic temperament, which is the
college temperament, qualities the
manner of their application.
IF the coach permits impressions
to develop, such as team interest
first and scholastic afteryard,' win
at any cost or shuts his eyes to the
existence of personal aggrandize-
ments or fails to impress upon his
charges that organized athletics have
their place and should be abandon
ed after graduation, he has been in
strumental in developing an unde-
sirable undergraduate temperament.
He is an undesirable coach, no mat
ter what measure of athletic success
he may attain. In fact, he has taught
his charges to fight wrong, whereas
if he wakes up to the full apprecia-
tion of the endeavor to encourage the
development of scholarship and Sc
rious-mindedness and that subor-
dination of self to team play, which,
in the larger sense, is nothing short
of the true spirit of community in
terest."