Beyond ‘crude pragmatism’ in sports coaching: Insights from C.S. Peirce,William James,and John Dewey: A commentary

Introduction

Simon Jenkins has composed a thoughtful reflection in an attempt to inspire sports coaches to more carefully consider their pedagogical philosophy, and perhaps even to become more introspective about their own metacognitive limitations which they may be imposing on themselves and their students. The highly successful American football coach, Vince Lombardi, would be an example of the kind of coach who possesses the approach recommended by philosophical pragmatism. Lombardi’s handbook of coaching philosophy and training methodology was derived from a lifelong immersion in Roman Catholic mysticism.

Vince Lombardi

As cited by Jenkins, Dewey’s suggestion that “every experience should do something to prepare a person for later experiences of a deeper and more expansive quality” would not be lost on Lombardi, whose entire life could be considered to be an education which would prepare him for the successively greater challenges which he would face in his life.

Lombardi’s early education and training served as formative experiences. From the time he was very young, he attended daily Catholic Mass, in addition to performing other spiritual rituals which served as the foundation of his philosophical inquiry. Lombardi played college football at the fabled Jesuit institution, Fordham University, where as an undersized offensive lineman, he became one of the legendary “Seven Blocks of Granite.” He was not a great classroom performer, but his commitment to his football career enhanced his educational preparation. At Fordham, he was molded by the official Jesuit educational philosophy, the Ratio Studiorum, which emphasized the importance of integrating newly acquired knowledge into a spiritual philosophy. Lombardi toyed with the idea of becoming a Jesuit priest, but his love for football and the manner in which his daily training, and his educational and football experiences would inform his philosophy about life provided him with a sense of a mission and a purpose. Lombardi’s coaching positions at Fordham, at West Point under the legendary Colonel Red Blaik, and later as a professional football coach with the New York Giants, the Green Bay Packers, and the Washington Redskins, were experiences that enabled him to draw a straight line from the Jesuit philosophy at Fordham to the military traditions at West Point to the discipline required to train players to conquer challenges of life, including winning Super Bowl championships.

Lombardi came to recognize that football was a “full-time, 12 month vocation.” His philosophy was shaped by Jesuit traditions. Coaching was a vocation which focused on discipline, on order, and on a consistency of beliefs. The rigor of daily Mass, meditation, and commitment to what he would learn from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius prepared him for a life of transformational coaching. Lombardi’s handbook of coaching philosophy and training methodology leaned heavily on Spiritual Exercises, a book written by Ignatius of Loyola in 1546. The Reformation had created great confusion across Europe in the 16th century. Where previously the Roman Catholic Church had provided guidelines for conduct and some sense of an organizing philosophy, the Reformation introduced confusion, uncertainty, and multiple options for behavioral and spiritual choices. Europe was divided into multiple warring tribal communities, and the rise of Protestantism of many varieties, as well as the influx of Muslim communities and the threat of Muslim military hostility across Europe triggered the need for greater fidelity and devotion to Roman Catholicism. This turmoil gave rise to the development of radical adherents to a new and highly disciplined Order of Catholic priests. The Jesuits developed rules and standards that included written manuals that defined the manner in which a Jesuit should conduct himself, what he should wear, how and when he should practice his devotions. These practices impressed Lombardi, and he adapted many of the exercises and reflections the Jesuits employed, including their habit of stopping twice a day to review the progress they had achieved towards the goals they had set for themselves earlier that day.

Spiritual Exercises served as a guide for Jesuit mysticism. While it was written by Ignatius almost 500 years ago, it continues to serve as a guide, containing many exercises and visualizations, rules for discernment when making significant life decisions, and other spiritual exercises intended to provide a guiding philosophy and a handbook for the behavior of devout Christians. Lombardi had embraced these methods because they provided a very compelling philosophy about the meaning of life and the manner in which the devout follower should conduct himself.

Conclusion

Vince Lombardi was dedicated to the rigorous study of philosophical and scientific foundations for improving instruction. It is troubling (and perhaps vaguely reminiscent of 16th century traditions) to think that coaches insist upon teaching any principle or skill that has been found to be successful in the past, or for which support from testimonial evidence (rather than scientific evidence) compels the coach to be satisfied with the proliferation of substandard learning programs. From a very early age, Lombardi displayed a devoted commitment to a philosophy that encouraged the kind of close systematic examination that is also suggested by Cushion and Partington’s ¹ call for “legitimate philosophical thinking” ¹ (p. 863).