We’re all works in progress. One of the quiet privileges of coaching is realizing that, sometimes, your influence can change the direction of a student’s life.
In 1913, George Bernard Shaw wrote Pygmalion, inspired by the old Greek myth of a sculptor whose statue comes to life. The musical and film My Fair Lady tells the same story in a different form as Professor Henry Higgins transforms a street merchant (Eliza Doolittle) into a lady. In their own way, coaches and teachers revisit that story every day.
Psychologists call it the Pygmalion effect - the idea that high expectations can lead people to perform better. In a famous classroom study, researchers Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson found that when teachers were led to believe certain students would excel, those students often did.
It’s the classic self-fulfilling prophecy. When mentors communicate belief, students often rise to meet it. And that belief can extend beyond performance to values - things like sportsmanship, effort, and character.
Of course, simple ideas aren’t always easy to execute. Growth requires clarity, specificity, and honest correction. And there’s an old reminder that still holds true: you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
As coaches, we’re always looking at the raw materials—size, athleticism, curiosity, work ethic—and imagining what a player might become. We project forward. We hope. And when that potential finally comes to life, it’s one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
I'm unsure who will be the next MVB version of Eliza Doolittle, but I know that she is out there.
Lagniappe. Our greatest challenges...
Your competition isn’t other people. pic.twitter.com/2ZCr4uU9by
— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) February 22, 2026
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