As we serve coaches and competitors
in the sports world, we often bear the burden of privileged information. People
tell us things that the general public, others involved in the team’s life, and
certainly the media don’t need to know. Many people clamor for such
information, but somehow we are trusted with it. A brief list of items follows
to illustrate the sorts of information we often possess and the reasons for
keeping it confidential.
·
Injuries. During
most every visit to a team’s practice or training session, at one point I will
be chatting with the athletic trainer (physio) and discussing a player with an
obvious injury or the rehabilitation process with those in recovery. The big
issue here is that if such information is shared with the wrong people, it
becomes a factor in shaping the wagers on a contest. We could unwittingly
become the person who shapes the betting line in Las Vegas. Beyond that, in the
USA, there are laws that normally prevent medical professionals from sharing
any information about a patient’s condition. To receive such information is a
rare privilege which can be easily revoked if we prove to be less that faithful
with the privilege.
·
Relationship
problems. We may be sought for advice related to the
problems in relationships experienced by players, coaches, support staff, and
others. These may be with their significant others, their spouses, their
parents, teammates, with their coaches, or with the players they coach. Across
twenty-one seasons of service with football, I have encountered each of those
at least once. It is wise to be very careful with all such conversations and to
not share this information with anyone. To breach confidence with this
information could easily shatter the relationships foundational to our service
and could certainly feel like betrayal to the one who shared his or her life
with us.
·
Team
conflicts. Among competitive people, these are a
constant. As people compete for playing time, for leadership roles, and other matters,
it’s very easy for the competition to result in personal conflicts. There is
just as often conflict among a coaching staff due to perceived alliances,
personality clashes, comparison of salaries, and more. It is wise for us to
handle the information with us very carefully. We must not take sides and must
always seek reconciliation.
·
Personnel
adjustments. The hiring, firing, resignation, retirement,
suspension, and other reasons for movement among the coaching staff, their
support staff, and administration is of great consequence for everyone
involved. We may be allowed in the process before such moves are made. We could
have information about a person’s firing even before the person being fired. We
may have privileged information about someone’s impending resignation and the
local media would love to have an inside track to break the story. All such
information is precious and must never be shared with anyone. To breach this
trust could end one’s service with a club or university upon the first
violation.
·
Legal
issues. Should we get wind of an impending lawsuit
against a coach, a player, our club, or someone else in our realm of service,
we must be very careful with this information. We should be moved to pray,
privately, and not to share the information at church. Rather than to discuss
the merits of the suit with others, we should pray for a wise and just
resolution of the conflict. No one benefits from our sharing information about
such matters.
·
Disciplinary
issues. As team members violate team rules, we could
be called on for wisdom, perspective, or counsel. Across my years a number of
coaches have asked my advice related to possible disciplinary matters. Emotion
often clouds the judgment of coaches and others who lead in sport and many will
seek the counsel of others who know the people, understand the situation, but
are less directly involved. Sometimes that means a call to the team chaplain,
the character coach or the sport mentor. As we find ourselves drawn into such a
process, treat this privilege with prayer, confidentiality, and wisdom.
Our service of sportspeople
will often find us in possession of very privileged information and weighty
responsibilities. Let’s reflect the Lord Jesus’ nature of faithfulness, wisdom,
and purity as we handle such precious privilege as it will surely directly
affect our relationships.
