Shakespeare-A Possible Tool For Coaches?

Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #44 – March 15, 2010

St. Crispen's Day Speech
Shakespeare's HENRY V-1599
A Possible Tool for Coaches?


(Adapted from the essay by Brian R. Price)
Shakespeare authored this work nearly two hundred years after the Battle of Agincourt (1415), and yet, it remains the finest dramatic interpretation of what leadership meant to the men in the Middle Ages.

Could someone in a position of leadership today, effectively rally their men to victory using similar tactics? Someone, for example like a coach before “the BIG game?”

This was the situation then:
The French, aware of Henry's troops weakening condition because of their distance from England and the attacks of Dysentery that had plagued the dwindling band, moved between King Henry and Calais, the port he needed to reach in order to return to England. The French troops followed Henry's band along the rivers, preventing their crossing and daring them to a battle in which they were certain of victory.

The English knights fought on foot. Archers were to be used in support, the English and Welsh longbows having established their credentials both at Crecy (1347) and at Poiters (1356). But here the French seemed to have sufficient numbers to deal with even this threat, and they refused to allow Henry to pass, angered by the English seizure of their cities.

Morale among the English troops as they looked upon the overwhelming force of heavily armored, highly skilled French knights must have been extremely low. The English were far outnumbered and outranked. King Henry, rising to the occasion, spoke words of encouragement that rallied the English troops and carried them to a victory. As a result of the victory the French Princess Catherine was betrothed to Henry V, and France and England were at peace for the remainder of Henry's short life.

Although the speech below is a work of fiction, it is evocative of the spirit with which Henry--and all strong medieval kings—ruled, through the strength of their convictions and by force of their personality. Are these similar attributes of our great coaches today?

St. Crispen's Day Speech
William Shakespeare, 1599

Enter the KING
WESTMORELAND: O that we now had here. But one ten thousand of those men in England. That do no work to-day!

Westmoreland, King Henry’s cousin says he sure wishes they had more men to back them up.

This would be like a player telling the coach he sure wishes Joe Blow wasn’t on the injured list for the “Big Game.” “How can we possibly win without him?” asks the apprehensive player.

KING. What's he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin; If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour.

Henry tells his cousin to forget about it. There are enough of us here. He says, the fewer men the better. That way, when they win there will be fewer men to share the glory of the victory.

The coach could tell the players, “We have all the men we need right here, right now. We will be the ones to share the glory of our victory.”

God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires. But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England. God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more methinks would share from me For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us.

Henry goes on to say. In fact, let any man who is afraid to stay and fight with us leave right now. I will even give them money and safe passage to get home with. I don’t want anyone who is afraid to die with us to remain here.

The coach could tell the team, “any one here who doesn’t believe we will win this game and doesn’t want to go all the way to victory in this game, give 110% of himself, any one who even has a doubt that we will win, can leave right now and you will not be penalized. These are players that are not worthy to call themselves a member of this team today, and they shouldn’t have the privilege to be a part of this great day.”


This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'

Henry then announces to all that everyone of them that survives this day, which happens to fall on the holiday of St. Crispian, will stand taller and prouder than any other man. Even in his old age, on this day he will have a feast. He will brag about what he endured and what he accomplished on that day to all his neighbors. He will strip off the sleeve of his shirt and show his battle scars and say, “These are the wounds I got on Crispian’s Day.”

The coach tells his players: “Men, each one of us will have memories if this day and what we accomplished. Each of us will be able to tell our friends and neighbors for years to come what part he played in this great upset. Some of us may tell of utter exhaustion or other very tough challenges. But all of us will proudly proclaim: “This is what I did, this is what our team did, the day we won “the BIG game.”

Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester- Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered-

King Henry tells the men how all of their individual names will become household words. Good fathers will repeat the story of their valiant victory for all time.

Every player here will remember this day, this game and what each one of us did today. Our names will be remembered for years to come. The story of how we won this game will be told by fathers to their sons- and will never be forgotten. It will be a victory for the ages.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Henry says that today, all of them are brothers. Those that were not among us will curse the fact they weren't. Even the poorest most common man is his equal, his brother, as if he had the same royal blood in him as Henry. All of them are of the class of “gentlemen,” none of them have any prior deeds to be ashamed of. For on this day, they are the best of men anywhere. None can claim a higher status than those that fought as brothers on this Saint Crispin’s Day.

The coach tells his players they are all brothers today. They are a family; each one of the players is contributing equally toward the approaching contest they will win. None of their prior weaknesses or mistakes will be present today. All who were not a part of this great team will forever be envious. Today, these players are the best of men. No one will ever equal this forthcoming, amazing accomplishment on the field of battle today. "All right men, let’s do it!"

What do you think? Any coaches out there?