Reflections Magazine Issue #68 - Fall 2008 | Page 4

Editorial

from the editor
Fostering A ‘Can-Do’ Attitude
At Siena Heights
Ever see that commercial from a few Super Bowls
ago where cowboys attempted to herd cats across
the prairie?
I had a similar experience this summer – it’s
called coaching a youth baseball team. For the
past several years, I’ve had the opportunity to
coach a machine pitch baseball team for boys and
girls in the 6-9 age range. Some of my players
show up at the first practice without even a hint
of baseball experience. In fact, a successful start
can be just learning to grip a bat with both hands
and running the bases in the right direction.
I often hear “I can’t do it,”to which I always
respond, “Keep trying.”
It’s definitely a test of patience, and often will,
for all of us coaches at this level. Eventually,
however, the coaching seems to take hold, and
it’s amazing the improvement kids at this age can
make in a short period of time.
Here at Siena Heights University, I have heard
similar stories about our current students and
graduates. Our faculty and staff serve as the
“coaches,”encouraging students to keep trying
(attend class), practice (study/do the homework)
and pay attention. Although the age and learning environment differ, the idea of improvement
is a goal of higher education.
All students do not come from the sam