By Nathan Stark
(April 28, 2026)

Coaches can easily lose sight of the good in sport. The good for some coaches might be intrinsic, such as the joy of play, the beauty of the game, or moral virtue through the pursuit of excellence. Others might value extrinsic goods, such as status, fame, or money, usually achieved through winning. While extrinsic goods can contribute to the good life, they ought to be subordinate to intrinsic goods. Coaches who prioritize winning over personal development and positive sport experiences fail to see the athletes behind the performance. Even great coaches, such as Woody Hayes, who coached The Ohio State University football team from 1951-1978, can be distracted by results and lose sight of the intrinsic good of sport.

An ethical coaching philosophy is an excellent starting point to ground coaches in moral practices and prioritize the intrinsic good of sport. Coaches can also be held accountable to moral values by fellow coaches, their administrators, and the athletes they serve. Meaning and values can be discovered and evaluated through consistent reflective practices by coaches and athletes alike.

Lessons from Coach Hayes

During his tenure leading the Buckeyes, Woody Hayes earned a record of 205-68-10, won 13 Big 10 championships, and competed in eight Rose Bowls. Coach Hayes held undergraduate degrees in both English and History as well as a master’s in educational administration. He studied the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and cited Compensation as his single most influential work (Berkow, 1982). Emerson informed Hayes on the principle of paying forward rather than paying back. “Beware of too much good staying in your hand. It will fast corrupt and worm worms. Pay it away quickly in some sort” (Emerson, 1979). Hayes found Emerson to be helpful for holding himself and his team accountable for contributing hard work and dedication to earn their compensation. Despite the team’s success, Coach Hayes exemplified this philosophy by regularly refusing raises and being dedicated to the graduation of his athletes. Upon their graduation, he encouraged them to seek diverse professions, including those outside of football (Rosenberg, 2016).

Those who worked and played for Hayes knew how devoted and caring he could be. However, Hayes’ passion could become volatile in crucial moments. Along with the good he did for his players and community, Coach Hayes possessed a temper he had trouble controlling. Once, he shoved a cameraman at the Rose Bowl. Another time, he destroyed sideline markers in a loss to Michigan. Players were so accustomed to Hayes losing his temper; they knew to stand to his left—his dominant side—so that when he turned to throw a punch, they had time to dodge his swing (Rosenberg, 2016).

The heat of competition can cause coaches to lose sight of the intrinsic good of sport and deteriorate the integrity of play. Physical and emotional abuse should not be excused as passion, but players and administrators accepted Coach Hayes’ violent behavior partly because he was a winner and otherwise seemed to care for his athletes. The good of Hayes’ nature was displayed in his compassion, encouragement, and dedication to his players’ success. However, his own callous, violent behavior and inability to accept defeat gracefully juxtaposed the intrinsic good he sought. Consequently, Hayes struggled to contain the violence within the boundaries of the game and uphold the integrity of the sport.

The most infamous moment of Hayes’ career occurred at the 1978 Gator Bowl against Clemson. Ohio State trailed Clemson 17-15 in the final minutes of the matchup. The Buckeye’s quarterback, Art Schlichter, threw an interception to Clemson’s noseguard, Charlie Bauman. Bauman ran up field and was forced into the Ohio State sideline, landing at the feet of Coach Hayes. While the cameras were focused on Bauman, Coach Hayes grabbed him by the jersey and threw a right hook into his chest. A bench clearing brawl ensued as both teams retaliated. Ultimately, the Buckeyes lost both the game and their coach, who was fired the next morning.

A veteran of the Second World War, Hayes knew the importance of meticulous preparation, intelligent strategy, and the power of the human spirit. Coach Hayes perceived war, football, history, and daily life as interwoven (Walton, 1992). However, the purpose of sport and warfare are not the same. Sport is rooted in play, a freely chosen activity, distinct from ordinary life, and unproductive in a utilitarian sense (Huizinga, 2016). Sport is not an act of war but of community. A zero-sum, win-at-all-cost mentality will consume the virtues of the game and corrupt the souls of the participants. Coach Hayes’ hero, Emerson, wrote how calamity, loss, and cruel disappointment may at first seem “nothing but privation, somewhat later assumes the aspect of a guide or genius…” (Emerson, 1979, p. 74). If losing can serve as a lesson, then there is nothing to fear in its acceptance. A cooperative spirit of play redirects our attention to the internal goods of the game—the mutual quest for excellence, the realization of a coherent narrative, and the development of meaningful relationships. Winning and losing remain significant but are secondary to the principal characteristic of play as its own end.

The good of Coach Hayes was not his winning record but his ability to captivate the hearts of his athletes and teach them to be responsible young men while playing a game they loved. Unfortunately, the good in sport was lost when Hayes could not see beyond the immediate results of the game. Coach Hayes failed to live by the standard he found in Emerson: “Treat men as pawns and ninepins, and you shall suffer as well as they. If you leave out their heart, you shall lose your own” (Berkow, 1982; Emerson, 1979). Coaches can impart a love for what is truly excellent, but to do so, they must be accountable to an ethical coaching philosophy.

An Ethical Coaching Philosophy

A coaching philosophy is not abstract, but a practical and defined set of principles. These principles can guide coaches through difficult times by reminding them of what is truly good and honorable. We can discern the merit of a philosophy based on the fruit it bears, but we do not need to wait until harvest to determine its values. A coaching philosophy should seek the development of the whole person, not just their physical abilities. Healthy relationships should be formed based on respect and honor, and leadership should exemplify responsibility and care. Even with a clearly defined philosophy, however, everyone can fall short of their ideals. Often, coaches need feedback and accountability to maintain sight of the good. Hayes’s tragedy can help us, as coaches, be better than ourselves. I suggest beginning with two important exercises to focus on the good of sport.

Developing a Mission statement

Coaches are responsible for exemplifying the standard for team behavior. One method of retaining accountability is with a lived mission statement. As a collegiate athlete, I was part of a team with a clear mission: “to create and foster a culture that thrives on excellence in character, academics, and athletics, while focusing on the process in a positive and collaborative environment.” The coaching staff encouraged us to memorize and apply the mission to all aspects of our lives. Similarly, we could hold our coaches to a standard when we witnessed shortfalls. Once, athletes respectfully confronted a coach for his feedback being sarcastic to the point of demeaning the athletes. The coach recognized that the caustic remarks did not create a positive environment described by the mission, and he made a deliberate effort to alter his behavior for the better. The mission was more than a plaque on a wall, but a standard to live by. Open and respectful dialogue can clarify the good of sport for coaches and athletes alike, as can personal reflection.

Reflection Can Bring Clarity

All coaches should spend time reflecting on their coaching practices and coaching personality. Socrates is attributed to saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Reflection can help coaches clarify values and examine if their actions follow their principles. Moral reflection allows coaches to test whether they live by the values they claim to hold. Most coaches would say that sport builds character and honesty is integral to the process. Coaches would agree that athletes learn about character through the coaches’ actions. Coaches can say they value honesty, but can they notice the competitive moments which may erode their moral commitments? For example, consider the following scenario and reflect on what you would do.

During a youth sport football game, an ineligible pass receiver catches a long touchdown pass and scores. The officials failed to determine that the player was ineligible. Because it is the referee’s job to detect the ineligible receiver, the coach does not have to declare an ineligible receiver (Hahm, Beller, & Stoll, 1993)

Many coaches, including Hayes, would agree that it’s the referee’s job to make the call, even though they know a rule was violated. Instead of being honest, they defer to a failed referee call. Are we truly being honest to defer responsibility? What do the athletes learn regarding commitments to fair play? Coaches are encouraged to reflect on similar scenarios so they may discern the good of sport when moral values are under pressure.

Conclusion

All contests consist of competitors overshadowing and outperforming one another. But in striving together for excellence, our focus shifts from gaining an advantage to playing to the best of our abilities. A commitment to give one’s best and honest effort is an act of goodness. Competitors committed to this approach do not annihilate their rivals but exalt them instead. In other words, participants can respect an opponent who outplays them rather than hate them. This attitude of integrity must start within coaches and overflow into their players. Winning and losing are still significant, but they are not the base standard for success. In fact, the rewards for how well we coach, and play, are greater than the perishable laurel and proverbial wreaths. Instead, excellence ought to be perceived as how well we invest in the success of our athletes, rivals, and the integrity of the sport. For this, Woody and Emerson would say we are compensated abundantly.

The author would like to thank his major professor, Dr. Sharon Kay Stoll, for her critical insight and edits throughout the writing process

Editor’s Note: All articles in Sport Coach America are authentic and original work by the author(s).

References

Berkow, I. (1982, April 27). Football success formula: Recruit a philosopher. Retrieved from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/27/sports/football-success-formula-recruit-a-philosopher.html

Emerson, R. W. (1979). Compensation. In J. Slater, & D. E. Wilson (Eds.), The collected works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Vol. II, pp. 53-74). Harvard University Press.

Hahm, C. H., Beller, J. M., & Stoll, S. K. (1993). Hahm-Beller Values Choice Inventory. University of Idaho Center for ETHICS*.

Huizinga, J. (2016). Homo ludens: A study of the play-element in culture. Angelico Press.

Rosenberg, M. (2016, December 2016). Woody Hayes’s last stand: Ohio State, Clemson and the punch that ruined Hayes. Retrieved from Sports Illustrated: https://www.si.com/college/2016/12/23/woody-hayes-punch-clemson-ohio-state

Walton, G. M. (1992). Beyond winning: The timeless wisdom of great philosopher coaches. Leisure Press.