I overheard a conversation the other day between a boy and his father as they walked away from the boy’s athletic contest. As the lad spewed venom about his team’s performance and his perceived insufficient playing time, the dad strode along beside him quietly. When the boy launched into his coach, the father quietly asked one question – “Are you coachable?”

The boy was taken aback and, suddenly, speechless. It was a brilliant question and it got me thinking. Am I coachable?

Participating in youth sports without opening yourself up to the mentoring of coaches is like attending school but refusing to open your books. Worthless. A waste of time.

But doesn’t becoming more coachable make just as much sense for adults as it does for young people? More, maybe? How many of us dread the visit from our boss and roll our eyes at his suggestions? (Not you, Rick, never you.) Do we soak up words of wisdom like a sponge or are we sealed up tight as a mason jar? Shall I admit here I’m not always revved-up about receiving reader comments here on the blog? (Yeah, I know, I’m a weak sports reporter. Point taken. As Howard Cosell famously confessed, “I never played the game.”)

So I’m inviting friends and loyal readers to hold me accountable in my pledge to become more coachable. Suggestions and advice hereby happily accepted. Unless, of course, it’s negative.