Most people are familiar with the saying, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." I prefer the alternate version: "Those who can, teach. Those who can't, go into some less significant profession."
Which is true? Teaching is an art; one of those things you can learn to do, but never be great at unless you have a natural gift for it. Even those who are really good at something can't necessarily teach others to do it.
I am both a riding instructor and a rider. I am a better instructor than rider. I know how to ride; I know what I have to do to ride well. I just am not always - sometimes not ever - able to do it. (I have always been blessed by amazing horses and they make me look much better than I am. It has been pointed out to me that I personally trained all my horses, which may support either argument.)
I have a friend who teaches hunt seat riding and is one of the best riding instructors I've ever seen. I don't know if she rode or showed hunters when she was younger, but she now competes in calf roping - a totally different kind of riding sport. But she doesn't teach calf-roping.
Many great sports coaches never played very much of the sport they coach. Many great players make terrible coaches. Understanding what you teach, and being able to teach others, is far more important than being able to perform spectacularly yourself at whatever it is you teach.
So I don't believe the first statement above, but the second one is true for nearly everything.
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