COACHES CORNER VTB ("VALUE THE BALL")
- Defense makes the best offense
- On defense make it happen and on offense let it happen
- As a coach, it is your job to put your players in a position to be successful
- Make practice harder than the game
- Believe in your players
- An out of control coach leads to an out of control bunch of players
- Play hard, play smart, play together and have fun
- Always be in the moment
- Mind over matter
- Be quick, but take your time
- Fake a pass to make a pass
- On Offense let it happen, and on defense make it happen
- The best offense is great defense
College and Sports Translate to Life:
Teammates = Co-workers
Coaches/Professors = Bosses
Games/Practice = Work schedule
Wins/Losses = Hi’s & Low’s
Potential = Expectations
Test/Assignments = Performance
Accountability = Accountability
Take advantage, learn and apply!
THE DISEASE OF ME
The Disease of Me = the Defeat of US
5 Danger Signals of the Disease of Me
1. Feelings of under Appreciation – Focus on Oneself
2. Paranoia over being cheated out of one’s rightful share
3. Leadership vacuum resulting from formation of cliques and rivalries.
4. Feelings of Frustration even when the team performs successfully.
5. Personal effort mustered solely to outshine one’s teammate.
The most DIFFICULT thing for individuals to do when they become part of a team is to sacrifice; it is much EASIER to be selfish.
The size of our success depends on the depth of our desire.
Preparation – Muhammad Ali
“Before I get in the ring, I’d have already won or lost it out on the road. The real part is won or lost somewhere far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road long before I dance under the lights.”
John Wooden's Pyramid of Success
“Success is a piece of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”
DREAM THE DREAM
9 WAYS TO MOTIVATE TODAY'S PLAYERS
- KNOW THE GAME. Only coach what you know & work hard to find out what you don't know
- DISCIPLINE THEM. Players crave discipline because it shows that you care. They also know in their subconscious that discipline is a key ingredient to being successful. They will lose respect for you if you don't. No one is motivated by a person they don't respect
- SHOW THEM WHY. Players need what is known as perceived relevance. They need to know that what they are doing will help them become the best player they can be. They need to know the drill they are doing today will help them better perform on game day.
- PRAISE THEM. Players need to get caught doing something right! That which gets praised gets repeated. Now in order to be as effective as possible, you want to be as specific as you can in your praise. For example, "Joey, that was an excellent screen you set to get Jim open. You took the perfect angle, kept a wide base & you held your ground. You were the reason Jim scored."
- BE HONEST. Players need to hear the truth. Even when they don't want to hear the truth. They might not want to hear what you have to say, but they will respect your honesty. If a player is not going to see much playing time next season, let them know now what you envision their role being. And also let them know what they need to work on if they want to earn more playing time.
- BRING ENERGY. Players respect coaches who work just as hard as they do. Make your own enthusiasm & passion contagious. You don't get what you know, you get what you bring. BE AN ENERGY GIVER
- USE INNOVATIVE DRILLS. Gene Hackman's favorite line in HOOSIERS: "My practices are not designed for your enjoyment," doesn't fly with today's players. Players have short attention spans & boredom causes demotivation. You don't have to reinvent the wheel, but it is your job to constantly search for ways to get that wheel to run smoother & get that wheel to run faster.
- BE AUTHENTIC. Players can spot a phony just as quickly as they can spot incompetence. Be true to yourself. Don't try to be someone else. If Brad Stevens tried to coach like Bobby Knight, it wouldn't work. Coach to your strengths & create your own style, philosophy & culture.
- LOVE THEM. Players don't care how much you know until they know how much you care... How do you spell love? T-I-M-E.