Great teachers' lessons last a lifetime

I originally wrote this while I was editor of Business First newspaper of Columbus. -- JB

     May, 1995
In the final moments of the Masters golf tournament a few weeks ago, Ben Crenshaw knocked in the winning putt and then broke down and wept.     
     That week Crenshaw had served as a pallbearer at the funeral of the man who had taught him the game, Harvey Penick.  Crenshaw knew that Penick, who coached him as a boy and in college, had brought him to that championship moment. Perhaps, Crenshaw imagined hearing Penick's voice congratulating him. 

A demanding dance teacher    
    
That scene came back last week as I talked on the telephone with our daughter Bridget, who lives in Germany.  A dear friend and teacher of hers had died of cancer at 68.  She talked of how much this dance teacher had inspired her to push herself constantly to do better and helped her believe in her talent.      
     It got me thinking about the importance of teachers, coaches and mentors in a person's life.  They have the power to transform their pupils, to uncover hidden talents, to give them the courage to go out on their own. The great teachers fill their students with passion for whatever it is that they are teaching, be it golf, dance or running a business.

     
     For a boss, it is one of the most valuable things to give employees.  For an employee, that teaching often means more than money.      
     The great teachers set the highest standards, but they help their students reach them. The great teachers take the time to show others the way. And their pupils never forget. They keep coming back.  There is always more to learn. There are always more questions.      
     In childhood and a working life, people are lucky to have a few mentors who transform and inspire them. As Ben Crenshaw and my daughter know, these great teachers are rare and to be cherished.

The legacy of Violetta Boft
     
     Bridget, 21, is a dancer with the Bavarian National Ballet in Munich. She began studying here in Columbus at BalletMet.  She had several outstanding teachers.  One of them was Violetta Boft. Violetta graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow and was a prima ballerina in the Soviet Union for more than 30 years. She immigrated to Columbus in 1986 to be with her family. At BalletMet, Violetta gained a reputation for maintaining the highest standards and helping the students and professionals to reach them.    
     Last month, even as the cancer that would kill her was causing great pain, she worked extra hours with one of the soloists in "Pas de Dix" to help her master the most difficult steps.  She wanted her pupils to succeed. It was this dedication that my daughter told me about on the telephone. 
     Many of the people at Violetta's funeral were dancers who wanted to express their gratitude that she had expected nothing less than their best.  They wanted to thank her for giving them the courage to believe they could do great things.  I wanted to thank her too. 

 Coaches who make them believe
 
     That got me thinking that I need to thank a lot of  people.  Our other daughter, Christine, 17, has coaches and teachers who have encouraged her to excel. As I watched her flying around the track in the 3,200-meter run a few days ago, I thought of the coach who had recognized her talent four years ago and gave her the confidence to believe she could be a record-breaker. I thought of her basketball coach, who believed in her ability to run the offense and shoot the three-pointer.    
     And then there is the pride I feel in watching our son Patrick, 11, stand confidently on the pitcher's mound with the ball in his hand. He wants to be there. He wants the responsibility. He wants to be the person the team is depending on to retire the opposing batters. He knows he can throw strikes. He knows he can do it because his coaches have helped him believe he can.    
     It is not so different in the working world. Each of us can look back over our careers and find a few people who made a difference for us. Usually it was a person who encouraged us to stretch or who handed us a big responsibility and believed in us.    
     We need to thank those people, yes. But one of the best ways to show our thanks is to become teachers ourselves. There is no higher calling. And there is no greater reward than seeing those you taught become successful.