Image?

The sunday edition of the Daily Independent Sports Section ran an article about the re-emergence of the football program at Immanuel Christian School. I think this is a wonderful thing. Immanuel is the only real alternative to the single public high school here in Ridgecrest. They have not had a football program for a few years so it's nice to see them getting one going again.

What I have to question is the picture they ran with the article:



This picture shows the Immanuel Athletic director and their new head coach who is also an alumnus of Immanuel High school's football program. Granted this guy is a football coach, but is an "MGD - Guys Night Out" beer tee shirt really the best thing the new coach could find to wear for a newspaper picture that is going to introduce him to the City of Ridgecrest and the Baptist School where that he is going to be coaching?

I am probably the last guy to get on someone about the image they present. But even I have my limits. I wear jeans and polo shirts or causual button up shirts to work. Twice a year I wear a nice shirt and tie to work because it is mandated my boss. Other than that I only wear ties for weddings and funerals. At home I live in shorts and tee shirts most of the year and in sweatpants and sweatshirts during the winter. I have never been an advocate of the "clothes make the man" mantra. I believe what he says and does makes the man, not how he is dressed.

Three years ago I started coaching volleyball at my children's school. The other coach at the time always wore a tie to our games. I just couldn't bring myself to wear a tie, so I got a couple polo shirts and had them custom embroidered with a volleyball and the school's name and logo. Those shirts and a pair of khaki pants have become my volleyball coach's uniform. This is not because I'm worried in any way about my image, but because I do worry about the image of my players and the school I work for.

Maybe the Immanuel football players will like thier new coach's image. But I'm sure if I showed up to represent my volleyball teams dressed like that, even if my players didn't notice or say anything, some of thier parents would. I prefer that no one ever notices me on the sidelines of the volleyball court. I want people paying attention to those six student athletes who are on the court, doing all the hard work.

So what's next, a lacross team wearing flip flops to the white house?