Casteel more than ‘just a volunteer’

Written by Gina Parris | 21 June 2010

builttowincoaching.com

We had lived here in Middle Tennessee for less than a year when we got to know our son’s Babe Ruth manager, Coach Casteel. 
As restless parents, we often waited more than an hour beyond pickup time as Coach intensely instructed and coached the young boys. With the the  veins nearly popping out of our necks from frustration, Mr. Parris and I grumbled what in the world could take so long at baseball practice.
“There’s so much to learn, Mom!” would be all our son would say. “Everyone needs to know how to play.” As the summers went by, the players grew up, took home a state championship one year, and the ones that played all through high school appreciated having Coach Casteel at their side. He seemed to mellow out over the years too, he became the voice of encouragement in what was sometimes a heated dugout.
When our son Jordan signed with Columbia State, he went to Coach Casteel’s house to invite him to the signing at the high school.
Coach drove all the way from his job on base to be at the high school for a five-minute formality. It meant the world to this family.
One day I overheard Coach Casteel introduce himself to Vanderbilt’s head baseball coach, Tim Corbin. He said, “I’m Gary Casteel. I’m just a volunteer.”
Coach Corbin shook his head, “There’s no such thing as JUST A VOLUNTEER. No such thing.”
This week I have thought about ALL the coaches that give of their life to pour into our kids. Most are volunteers. The rest are paid very little. Your kids may not play baseball – maybe they play volleyball like our daughter, whose Coach Albaugh has amazed us by finding an athlete inside our little bookworm.
We do have lots of baseball coaches to thank, with two of our sons  playing ball, but this community is full of amazing adults who pour their lives into all of our kids – whether its at church, in  music, in theater, in sports, in scouts. They may think they  are  JUST volunteers but...
There is no such thing as JUST a volunteer. So, to Coach Casteel, Coach Wright, Coach Albaugh and all the other people who love our kids (and push them hard too) – thank you.
We know its often a thankless job. And your selflessness makes us all better.
For now coach Casteel thinks he is retiring from coaching baseball, but now there is an 11-year-old Parris ringing his doorbell – begging for instruction.
Surely the golf game can wait!
Gina Parris is a peak performance speaker and coach who helps individuals and organizations all over the world to reach their full potential – Joyfully! www.GinaParris.com.