Joe Root. And the secret of his success?

Joe Root, the England cricket captain, is soon to fly to Australia for the Ashes series.

But recently, he went back to his old school to coach there.

He gave them catching practice, fielding practice, batting practice.

They were nervous in his presence, but excited and happy to be learning.

Sometimes he’d give some advice in his broad Yorkshire accent:

‘Keep your head up’ or ‘Watch the ball onto the bat’.

But whatever he said, he added ‘Good lad’ or ‘Good girl’ at the end.

He was reminding them that however much they have to learn, they are still good.

I suspect he learned in this way; that he was passing on his experience of growing up – the experience of encouragement.

Was that your experience? Or did you have to grow in a different climate?

Whatever your story, in the heat of life’s demands, remember Joe Root’s kind Thought for the Day:

‘Good lad, good girl.’

You are.