Coach: The Unsung Teacher Beyond The Classroom

Article By : Mohd Amie Rashidi Rasikon(Coach Shidi)

Date : 16th May 2025

Selamat Hari Guru to all the chalk warriors, whiteboard magicians, and even those who master the art of saying “Dengar sini!” louder than a stadium speaker.

But today, I want to shine a light on a slightly different kind of educator. One who trades books for balls, chalk for cones, and lesson plans for training drills. Yes, I’m talking about the coach—the teacher who doesn’t always wear batik on Thursdays but wears heart on sleeves, every day.

A DIFFERENT CLASSROOM, SAME MISSION

In rugby, the classroom doesn’t have four walls. It has sidelines, sweat, bruises, and sometimes, muddy jerseys that have seen better days. But make no mistake—this is education. Real, raw, and life-shaping.

Coaches are pendidik, just not the kind you find with a pen in one hand and a red marker in the other. We teach discipline before the first whistle, resilience after the first loss, and humility no matter the score. We are the ones who get the “Coach, saya tak larat”—and still push them anyway, not because we don’t care, but because we do.

And often, we do it voluntarily—not for the allowance (if there even is one), not for recognition, but for passion. For love. For ummah. The “kelas tambahan” we run isn’t at tuition centres, it’s at empty fields under hot suns and broken goalposts.

PEMACU REFORMASI PENDIDIKAN: THE REAL GAME CHANGER

Today’s khutbah Jumaat carries a powerful title: “Guru Pemacu Reformasi Pendidikan”. This isn’t just about better classrooms or better grades—it’s about rethinking what “education” really means. It’s about a holistic transformation. And coaches, whether we realize it or not, are part of that reform.

Because real education doesn’t only happen in schools. It happens during a water break, when a player confides in you. It happens after a loss, when you teach them how to lose with grace and try again. It happens when you tell them to respect the ref even when the call is questionable—that’s character, not tactics.

Coaches, when we guide young people with empathy, discipline and purpose, we reform their understanding of success, of teamwork, of life. We are helping to rewrite the script of what it means to be successful—not just in rugby, but as a human being.

PASSION MEETS PURPOSE

At R4K and Elmina Bronco, most of us are not full-time coaches. We’re parents, workers, dreamers. We don’t clock in, but we always show up. Why? Because passion alone might get you started, but purpose keeps the engine running.

We are not building just rugby players—we’re building fathers, mothers, leaders, thinkers. The kind of individual who knows that falling down is part of life, but rising again is part of our DNA.

And if we do this with niat that is sincere, rooted in love for the game and the people we coach, then this work can outlive all of us. The fields we coach on today might become the legacy playground for generations to come. That’s how a coach becomes pemacu reformasi pendidikan—through experience, example, and effort.

SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH ATTITUDE

Here’s the truth: fancy equipment, perfect facilities, or big sponsors won't sustain a club. What sustains it is attitude. How we show up. How we speak to kids. How we carry the badge. We must build a culture where coaching is seen as ibadah, where every push-up, every pep talk, every early morning drill is part of something bigger.

Let’s teach not just skills—but character.

Let’s chase not just trophies—but transformation.

Let’s leave behind not just results—but a legacy.

TO ALL COACHES: SELAMAT HARI GURU JUGA

So to every coach who’s ever taped an ankle, carried water bottles, drove kids to games, or stayed back late just to talk to one of your players—Selamat Hari Guru. You might not be called “Cikgu” in school, but in the hearts of those you’ve touched, you’ll always be a teacher.

Because at the end of the day, the field is a classroom, the game is a syllabus, and the coach? A pemacu reformasi pendidikan in boots.

#elminabronco #R4KAcademy #rugby #teachersday #pemacureformasipendidikan

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