The following is a blog post by Jon Gordon...
"To build a winning a team and a successful organization you must create a culture of greatness."
It’s the most important thing a leader can do because culture drives behavior, behavior drives habits and habits create results. In the words of leaders at Apple, “Culture beats strategy all day long."
When you create a culture of greatness you create a collective mindset in your organization that expects great things to happen—even during challenging times. You expect your people to be their best, you make it a priority to coach them to be their best and most of all you create a work environment that allows them to be their best.
A culture of greatness creates an expectation that everyone in the organization be committed to excellence. It requires leaders and managers to put the right people in the right positions where they are humble and hungry and willing to work harder than everyone else. A culture of greatness dictates that each person use their gifts and strengths to serve the purpose and mission of the organization. And it means that you don’t just bring in the best people, but you also bring out the best in your people.
If you are thinking that this sounds like common sense, it is. But unfortunately far too many organizations expect their people to be their best but they don't invest their time and energy to help them be their best nor do they create an environment that is conducive to success. They want great results but they are not willing to do what it takes to create a culture of greatness.
A culture of greatness requires that you find the right people that fit your culture. Then you coach them, develop them, mentor them, train them and empower them to do what they do best. As part of this process you develop positive leaders who share positive energy throughout the organization because positive energy flows from the top down. You also don’t allow negativity to sabotage the moral, performance and success or your organization. You deal with negativity at the cultural level so your people can spend their time focusing on their work instead of fighting energy vampires. And you find countless ways to enhance communication, build trust and relationships that are the foundation upon which winning teams are built.
If creating a culture of greatness sounds like a lot of work, it is, but not as much work as dealing with the crises, problems and challenges associated with negative, dysfunctional and sub-par cultures. While most organizations waste a lot of time putting out fires you can spend your time building a great organization that rises above the competition.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Jumping on the Engergy Bus
The following is from the book titled, The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work and Team with Positive Energy authored by Jon Gordon.
Here are Gordon's 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy.
1. You’re the Driver of the Bus.
2. Desire, Vision and Focus move your bus in the right direction.
3. Fuel your Ride with Positive Energy.
4. Invite People on Your Bus and Share your Vision for the Road Ahead.
5. Don’t Waste Your Energy on those who don’t get on your Bus.
6. Post a Sign that says “No Energy Vampires Allowed” on your Bus.
7. Enthusiasm attracts more Passengers and Energizes them during the Ride.
8. Love your Passengers.
9. Drive with Purpose.
10.Have Fun and Enjoy the Ride.
10 Thoughts about Leadership
1. People follow the leader first and the leader's vision second - It doesn't matter if the leader shares a powerful vision, if the leader is not someone who people will follow the vision will never be realized. As a leader, who you are makes a difference. The most important message you can share is yourself.
2. Trust is the force that connects people to the leader and his/her vision - Without trust there is a huge gap between the leader and the vision. Without trust people will stay off the bus. However if people trust the leader they will hop on the bus with the leader and help move the bus forward towards the vision.
3. Leadership is not just about what you do but what you can inspire, encourage and empower others to do.
4. A leader brings out the best within others by sharing the best within themselves.
5. Just because you're driving the bus doesn't mean you have the right to run people over - Abraham Lincoln said "Most anyone can stand adversity, but to test a man's character give him power." The more power you are granted the more it is your responsibility to serve, develop and empower others. When you help them grow they'll help you grow.
6. “Rules without Relationship Leads to Rebellion” - Andy Stanley said this and it's one of my favorite quotes. As a leader you can have all the rules you want but if you don’t invest in your people and develop a relationship with them they will rebel. This applies amazingly to children as well. It's all about relationships.
7. Lead with optimism, enthusiasm and positive energy, guard against pessimism and weed out negativity.
8. Great Leaders know they don't have all the answers - Rather they build a team of people who either know the answers or will find them.
9. Leaders inspire and teach their people to focus on solutions, not complaints. (The No Complaining Rule)
10. Great leaders know that success is a process not a destination - One of my heroes John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, never focused on winning. He knew that winning was the by product of great leadership, teamwork, focus, commitment and execution of the fundamentals. As a leader focus on your people and process, not the outcome.
Here are Gordon's 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy.
1. You’re the Driver of the Bus.
2. Desire, Vision and Focus move your bus in the right direction.
3. Fuel your Ride with Positive Energy.
4. Invite People on Your Bus and Share your Vision for the Road Ahead.
5. Don’t Waste Your Energy on those who don’t get on your Bus.
6. Post a Sign that says “No Energy Vampires Allowed” on your Bus.
7. Enthusiasm attracts more Passengers and Energizes them during the Ride.
8. Love your Passengers.
9. Drive with Purpose.
10.Have Fun and Enjoy the Ride.
10 Thoughts about Leadership
1. People follow the leader first and the leader's vision second - It doesn't matter if the leader shares a powerful vision, if the leader is not someone who people will follow the vision will never be realized. As a leader, who you are makes a difference. The most important message you can share is yourself.
2. Trust is the force that connects people to the leader and his/her vision - Without trust there is a huge gap between the leader and the vision. Without trust people will stay off the bus. However if people trust the leader they will hop on the bus with the leader and help move the bus forward towards the vision.
3. Leadership is not just about what you do but what you can inspire, encourage and empower others to do.
4. A leader brings out the best within others by sharing the best within themselves.
5. Just because you're driving the bus doesn't mean you have the right to run people over - Abraham Lincoln said "Most anyone can stand adversity, but to test a man's character give him power." The more power you are granted the more it is your responsibility to serve, develop and empower others. When you help them grow they'll help you grow.
6. “Rules without Relationship Leads to Rebellion” - Andy Stanley said this and it's one of my favorite quotes. As a leader you can have all the rules you want but if you don’t invest in your people and develop a relationship with them they will rebel. This applies amazingly to children as well. It's all about relationships.
7. Lead with optimism, enthusiasm and positive energy, guard against pessimism and weed out negativity.
8. Great Leaders know they don't have all the answers - Rather they build a team of people who either know the answers or will find them.
9. Leaders inspire and teach their people to focus on solutions, not complaints. (The No Complaining Rule)
10. Great leaders know that success is a process not a destination - One of my heroes John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, never focused on winning. He knew that winning was the by product of great leadership, teamwork, focus, commitment and execution of the fundamentals. As a leader focus on your people and process, not the outcome.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Passion Energizes Talent!
"What carries people to the top? What makes them take risks, go the extra mile, and do whatever it takes to achieve their goals? It isn't talent. It's passion. Passion is more important than a plan. Passion creates fire. It provides fuel. I have yet to meet a passionate person who lacked energy. As long as the passion is there, it doesn't matter if they fail. It doesn't matter how many times they fall down. It doesn't matter if others are against them or if people say they cannot succeed. They keep going and make the most of whatever talent they possess. They are talent-plus people and do not stop until they succeed."
From "Talent Is Never Enough" by John Maxwell
From "Talent Is Never Enough" by John Maxwell
Monday, November 30, 2009
Choices
Tom Crean believes that it's the details, energy and passion that seperate the winners. Everyone wants to win, but not everybody is willing to do all the things that are necessary to win, not everybody is willing to do the little things time and time again, that's what is needed to reach excellence. It's the extra that seperates the ordinary from the extrordinary! Tony Dungy, the former coach of the Indianapolis Colts, believes that there are 4 traits of a winner and they are...
1.) Talent
2.) Intellegence
3.)Character and
4.) Toughness
What are your 4 traits of a winner?
My personal 4 traits of a winner are...
1. Energy: is how much passion and enthusiasm we commit towards something. Without energy, we cannot give our best because when you are energized you are engaged and it's essential to be engaged in order to compete at the highest level, which is excellence. Energy and enthusiasm then become contagious and can inspire others around you.
2. Effort: is simply hard work and "there is no substitute for hard work!"
3. Execution: is combining energy and effort to prepare to the best of your ability, which gives you discipline to execute at the highest level, which is excellence.
4. Toughness: is essential for a player or team to develop to reach potential. Toughness has nothing to do with size, strength or athleticism. Toughness is a choice that anybody can make. Toughness is a skill that anybody can develop and improve on. "Players play, but tough players win!"
I refer to them as the 3 E's plus toughness. When equated together, the 3 E's always equals Excellence! You need toughness, however, to get you through the obstacles that all great teams are faced with overcoming. You need toughness to do the little things right and to do them consistently. The ultimate goal of a winner is to strive for excellence! When you combine passion (energy), hard work (effort) and preparation (execution), you give yourself an opportunity to achieve full potential, which is considered to be excellence!
Whatever your 4 traits may be, the most important thing is that it all comes down to one thing...choice! It comes down to you making the choice to believe in those things, stick to 'em and never waivering from them. Sometimes life deals us situations that are outside of our control, but our traits are always our choice. We can choose our attitude, we can choose our enthusiasm, we can choose what we are passionate about, we can choose how much energy we have, we can choose how much effort we put into something and we can certainly choose how much we prepare for something, we can also choose how tough we are or how tough we play. Everyday we make choices, some good, some bad, but it's our choices that determines our character, our attitude. It's our choices that determine how we handle adversity, how we overcome obstacles.
1.) Talent
2.) Intellegence
3.)Character and
4.) Toughness
What are your 4 traits of a winner?
My personal 4 traits of a winner are...
1. Energy: is how much passion and enthusiasm we commit towards something. Without energy, we cannot give our best because when you are energized you are engaged and it's essential to be engaged in order to compete at the highest level, which is excellence. Energy and enthusiasm then become contagious and can inspire others around you.
2. Effort: is simply hard work and "there is no substitute for hard work!"
3. Execution: is combining energy and effort to prepare to the best of your ability, which gives you discipline to execute at the highest level, which is excellence.
4. Toughness: is essential for a player or team to develop to reach potential. Toughness has nothing to do with size, strength or athleticism. Toughness is a choice that anybody can make. Toughness is a skill that anybody can develop and improve on. "Players play, but tough players win!"
Energy + Enthusiasm + Execution = Excellence
I refer to them as the 3 E's plus toughness. When equated together, the 3 E's always equals Excellence! You need toughness, however, to get you through the obstacles that all great teams are faced with overcoming. You need toughness to do the little things right and to do them consistently. The ultimate goal of a winner is to strive for excellence! When you combine passion (energy), hard work (effort) and preparation (execution), you give yourself an opportunity to achieve full potential, which is considered to be excellence!
Whatever your 4 traits may be, the most important thing is that it all comes down to one thing...choice! It comes down to you making the choice to believe in those things, stick to 'em and never waivering from them. Sometimes life deals us situations that are outside of our control, but our traits are always our choice. We can choose our attitude, we can choose our enthusiasm, we can choose what we are passionate about, we can choose how much energy we have, we can choose how much effort we put into something and we can certainly choose how much we prepare for something, we can also choose how tough we are or how tough we play. Everyday we make choices, some good, some bad, but it's our choices that determines our character, our attitude. It's our choices that determine how we handle adversity, how we overcome obstacles.
It's All About Character...
Watch your thoughts,
they become your words.
Watch your words,
they become your actions.
Watch your actions,
they become habits.
Watch your habits,
They become your character.
Watch your character,
it becomes your destiny.
Wooden on Leadership
Over the Thanksgiving holiday I had a chance to do some reading. At the start of the season, I always like to pick up and read something from John Wooden, his coaching methods and beliefs always helps put coaching into perspective. I read some chapters from the book "Wooden on Leadership", here are some of the things that I picked up as I was reading...
Wood On...Character
Character Starts with Doing the Little Things:
1. Choosing the Right Attitude & Conduct
- Do nothing that will harm or will negatively impact you, your family, your friends, your school or your team.
2. Having Respect
- Respect yourself - have personal pride
- Respect others...opponents, coaches and officials
- Respect the game
3. Being a Good Student
- Be a good student in the classroom
- Be a student of the game
- Be a good citizen in the community
4. Fighting Spirit & Conditioning
- Have more energy than your opponent
- Be better conditioned - mentally & physically
- Respect your opponent, but believe that you are better in talent, knowledge, condition and fighting spirit
"It's the Little Things that Make the Big Things Happen"
- Think small. Work Hard. Get Better (good).
- High performance & production are achieved only through the identification and perfection of small details...little things done well!
- If you collect enought pennies, eventually you'll be rich. Each relevant & perfected detail was another penny in our bank...When you focus on doing the little things and work hard to make those a habit, you will get better. When those little things are done well on a consistent basis, you can consider it to be perfected!
"The difference in a championship team and a good team is often the perfection of minor details" - John Wooden
Wooden On: Coach and Player Relationships
"Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." - John Wooden
If you don't think your team as a family, why should the team think of you as head of the family. You must have love and respect for those you lead.
1. Be close, but keep their respect. Have a vested interest in them as a person and be easy to approach
2. Maintain discipline without being a dictator. Be fair and lead, don't drive.
3. Study & respect the individuality of each player, handle them accordingly. Follow the "Golden Rule"...and treat them as you would expect to be treated.
4. Try to develop the same sense of responsibility in all...no matter what their talent level, playing time may be.
5. Analyze yourself & your players to be coached accordingly; "The Man in the Glass" poem
6. Approval is a great motivator. Use positive reinforcement after severe criticism.
7. Teach loyalty, honesty and respect inorder to build proper team spirit.
8. The team always comes first, but don't sacrifice a player just to prove a point
Wooden On...Coaching Methods
"You must first be what you want your team to become" - John Wooden
1. Be a teacher. Use the laws of learning: explanation > demonstration > imitation > feedback > repetition until it becomes a habit
2. Use lectures, photos, videos or diagrams to supplement practices
3. Insist on undivided attention
4. Insist on punctuality and proper dress for practice
5. Practice is preparation
6. Show patience, poise and faith
7. Give new things early in practice period, then repeat daily until learned.
8. Avoid public criticism
9. Encourage teamwork and unselfishness
10. Individual development helps the team development
11. In practice, use small, carefully organized groups
12. Have a practice plan...and follow it.
Action speaks louder than words...
No written word nor spoken plea,
Can teach your team what they should be,
Nor all the books on the shelves,
It's what the leaders are themselves.
Wooden On...Leading
1. Control Emotion Or It Will Control You
- Uncontrolled emotion decreases a leaders stature, lessens respect and undermines a teams effort
- Intensity, when correctly applied, can produce improvement and positive results
2. Avoid Excess. Shoot for Moderation
- Moderation & balance are linked to long term success
- Excess can create ineffective and/or undisciplined performance
3. Install Emotional Discipline
4. The Star of the Team is the Team
- Your team first message must be delivered consistently and persistently
5. Insist Team Members "Share the Ball"
- Team members and coaches must communicate openly and consistently with each other and share information, ideas and feedback...have a 'best practice' mindset
6. Go Out of Your Way to Praise Quiet Team Members
- Praise those team members who make things happen, but don't always get noticed. Praise those who are behind the scenes working hard (i.e. assistants, janitors, statisticians, volunteers, students, parents...)
7. Desire Players Who Make Good Teammates
- You want players who will make good teammates, not good players.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Learning How to Win & Pioneer
This morning I listened to a radio show, hosted by Coach K called "Beyond Basketball". His guest for this particular show was Pat Summit, head women's coach at Tennessee University. During the conversation between Coach K and Pat Summit, many interesting topics were discussed, probably the most interesting topic in my opinion was when Coach Summit was explaining the difficulties she was having with her team 'learning how to win'.
As Coach Summit explained it, sometimes programs, such as Tennessee, who have long standing traditions of winning championships and excellence, the players sometimes beleive that all they have to do is 'put on the uniform' to win. However, recently that has not been the case with Tennessee, who has lost Candace Parker and a number of other key players to graduation. Coach K asked her what they do in the Tennessee program to teach young players how to win...
As Pat Summit explained it, in her program, it all starts with building a foundation. That foundation is made of up things that you have control over...
- How hard you play...defense, rebounding, protecting the basketball
- Your attitude
- Competing everyday
- Leaders taking ownership
The final segment of Coach K's radio show, "Beyond Basketball" always ends with a key word. The word for this segment that he spoke about was 'pioneer', which was very fitting considering his guest was Pat Summit. Coach Summit has been a 'pioneer' for womens basketball. She became the first and only head women's basketball coach at Tennessee University in 1974 at the young age of 22 (her first graduating seniors were 21 at the time). When she started, there were no chartered buses or planes to away games, no administrative assistants, no sponsorship deals, no top of the line basketball practice facilities or locker rooms. At the time when she started, she was the head coach, who also drove the team van to away games. When you look at where she started to where she is now and where women's college basketball is now, she is considered to be a 'pioneer'. Here are some of Coach K's highlights on what a pioneer is and what it takes to be a pioneer...
A pioneer is someone or some group who starts a movement through their hunger, vision and ability to drive success. Pioneers don't break molds, but are willing to go into unchartered waters to start a journey that defines the future for others who will follow, setting a precident. As Coach K explained, since pioneers don't have any traditions or past experiences to follow, they must have guts and courage. They must be committed to their vision and willing to take risks, without being afraid to fail. They must have passion and the confidence to follow their instincts. To be a pioneer, it takes a special person or a special group, willing to fight and sacrifice, willing to go above and beyond and willing to do the things that have never been done!
Other 'pioneers' for the game of basketball:
- John Wooden
- Will Robinson and John Chaney...pioneer for African-American coaches
- Don Haskins, Texas Western...1966 NCAA Champions; first coach to start five African-Americans
- Dr. James Naismith...invented the game of basketball
- Cheryl Miller, Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker...pioneers for women's basketball
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Thoughts on Beginning a New Season
The start of each season is so exciting, fresh start, new opportunities and new faces. As the beginning of the hoops season comes upon us, here are some quotes and thoughts to help get your team off to a great start!
- Play Hard, Play Smat, Play Together & Have Fun...with Enthusiasm, Energy and Execution for 40 minutes, with a Will to WIN!
- Don't count the time, make the time count for you. - Roy Williams
- Goals that are not written down are just wishes.
- The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
- Never quit. It is often the last key on the ring that opens the door.
- Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about things. Small people talk about other people.
- Begin with the end in mind.
- It is useful to look back and to look forward as well. Always remember, though, that now is where you are, and now is when you can make a difference.
- There are people who make things happen.
There are people who watch things happen.
And there are people who wonder, "What happened?"
To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen.
- James A. Lowell, Astronaut
Becoming a Champion...on the court, in the classroom and in the community!Champions do not become champions on the court. They become recognized on the court. They become champions because of their daily routine and daily commitment to excellence. Players do not decide their future; they decide their habits and their habits decide their future!
All of this starts with how you think and what you think.
Your thoughts become your words.
Your words become your actions.
Your actions become your habits.
Your habits become your character.
Your character becomes your destiny.
Therefore, being successful at anything is determined by your daily choices and habits.
A champion is someone who gets up when he can't. -Jack Dempsey
Sacrifice and Rise Above
"If you want something you've never had...you must be willing to do something you've never done."
Do the hard things...do the little things
It's about each one of us rising up above, rising our levels, where others say we are or where we don't belong. It's about us pushing ourselves and each other to rise above those levles. It's about us lifting the program above that...each taking accountability, step by step, inch by inch.
The Top Ten Tips to a Successful Basketball Season (from iHoops.com)
10. Be Eligible & Stay Eligible!
First and foremost, you have to take care of your academics. As we always say, “You can’t make the plays if you can’t make the grades! Student comes first in "Student-Athlete"!
9. Set a Realistic Goal for the Season!
Set a realistic goal and work towards it everyday; have it visible on your dresser, on your bathroom mirror or in your locker at school.
8. Eat Right & Sleep Tight!
Make sure you eat a balanced, healthy diet and you give your body the rest it needs! Read your summer conference notebook or some old First Team Newsletter stories for nutrition and health tips.
7. Execute Fundamentals, Fundamentals, and Fundamentals!
Be solid and be text book! Do what you know, know what you do. Now is not the time to experiment. Summer is when champions are made…Fall is when they perform!
6. Follow Team Rules!
Honor your team rules and be a part of the team. No one is bigger than the TEAM! Be a "Program Guy", not a player guy!
5. Be Coach-able & Accept Constructive Criticism!
Don't make the same mistake twice! Take criticism from coaches and upperclassman; know the coach’s philosophy and follow it. Know your role! Ask questions and observe.
4. How You Practice is How you Play!
If you loaf in practice, you’ll loaf in the game. When you practice hard every practice as if it were a real game, when game time comes, you will be able to play at a high level of intensity. Out hustle the next guy. Leave all of your effort out on the floor everyday. What are you saving yourself for? You might just find out how much more heart you have buried deep down inside! On days you don't feel like practicing, practice harder!
3. Play Hard, Play Smart, All the time!
Is there anything else to say? What ever you do, do it with the same enthusiasm, positive attitude and desire. Maximize your time at practice when it’s time to practice. No joking around. You have to do 10-wind sprints at practice, do 10, not 9½. The same for the books. When it’s time study, don’t cheat yourself, study. If your homework requires you to read 3 chapters, read 3, not 2½. Don't just play hard and play smart...Play hard, Play Smart, Play Together and Play with Pride!
2. Balance Your “ABS” (Academics, Basketball & Social Life)
You must find balance between ACADEMICS, BASKETBALL and SOCIAL LIFE. If one begins to dominate, then the others will begin to suffer. Each must be kept in proper perspective with attention dedicated equally to all three. Work those ABS!
1. Have Fun!
You’re still a young man or woman and remember you play this sport because you love it! You’re good at something you love and something you’re dedicated to, HOOPS! There’s no pressure on you? What’s pressure? Chuck Knoll, former head coach of the 6-time Super Bowl Champions Pittsburgh Steelers once said, “Pressure is something you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing! You know how to HOOP…So HOOP it up!
"Somewhere behind the athlete you've become, the hours of practice, the coaches who push you, the teammates who believe in you and the fans who cheer for you, there's a little boy who fell in love with the game and never looked back...PLAY FOR HIM!"
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Motivating Todays Athlete
There are a variety of reasons why athletes participate in sports. Recognizing those reasons for each individual on your team will help you to motivate them. Below is an article from "Championship Coaches Network" on ways coaches can motivate their athletes. Visit them at the following adress, http://www.championshipcoachesnetwork.com
5 Keys to Motivating Your Athletes (Part I)
Greg Shelley, Janssen Sports Leadership Center
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."
No doubt there are many ways to "motivate" and inspire others. In contrast, it may be argued that one person cannot motivate another, but only creates an environment that promotes one to motivate him/herself. In short, to motivate anyone can be difficult, dynamic, and frustrating. To be effective, motivating others takes insight (a plan) and patience (time).
There are generally three broad categories for which motivation strategies fall: fear, incentives, and/or purpose. Fear and incentives are often short-term "motivators", whereas providing purpose (or meaning) is more long-term.
2. Motivation Through Incentives
Incentives too can be effective for the short-term. Dangling the "carrot" (e.g., playing time, money, trophies, etc.) is a strong motivator for many athletes but these extrinsic means generally last for only a short time before the "incentives" need increased or made more appealing. The less appealing the incentive, the less motivation one will generally show.
5 Keys to Motivating Your Athletes (Part I)
Greg Shelley, Janssen Sports Leadership Center
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."
No doubt there are many ways to "motivate" and inspire others. In contrast, it may be argued that one person cannot motivate another, but only creates an environment that promotes one to motivate him/herself. In short, to motivate anyone can be difficult, dynamic, and frustrating. To be effective, motivating others takes insight (a plan) and patience (time).
There are generally three broad categories for which motivation strategies fall: fear, incentives, and/or purpose. Fear and incentives are often short-term "motivators", whereas providing purpose (or meaning) is more long-term.
1. Motivation Through Fear
First, instilling fear in others is simple (and it can quickly motivate some people) but over time, fear can easily breed resentment and disloyalty. The athlete who is motivated by fear is likely not so much trying to achieve something as they are trying to avoid something (e.g., losing a position or making a mistake). This athlete generally becomes focused on what not to do, rather than what to do. In time, this can become stressful and lead to a strong sense of resentment and/or disloyalty toward the one instilling the fear.
First, instilling fear in others is simple (and it can quickly motivate some people) but over time, fear can easily breed resentment and disloyalty. The athlete who is motivated by fear is likely not so much trying to achieve something as they are trying to avoid something (e.g., losing a position or making a mistake). This athlete generally becomes focused on what not to do, rather than what to do. In time, this can become stressful and lead to a strong sense of resentment and/or disloyalty toward the one instilling the fear.
2. Motivation Through Incentives
Incentives too can be effective for the short-term. Dangling the "carrot" (e.g., playing time, money, trophies, etc.) is a strong motivator for many athletes but these extrinsic means generally last for only a short time before the "incentives" need increased or made more appealing. The less appealing the incentive, the less motivation one will generally show.
3. Motivation Through Purpose
Finally, developing a strong sense of purpose is most effective for promoting long-term motivation. Creating a sense of purpose and/or meaning is about changing the way athletes think about their roles, their reasons for coming to practice, their influence on teammates, their membership on the team, and their reasons for playing and competing. Providing purpose and meaning is about creating an environment that is conducive to personal growth and encouraging athletes to motivate themselves, as well as inspire their teammates. Developing purpose and meaning takes more time and energy (investment) but it can lead to that long-term motivation for which most coaches are striving.
Below are five important considerations as you go about developing a plan for motivating your athletes, your team, and your support staff.
Below are five important considerations as you go about developing a plan for motivating your athletes, your team, and your support staff.
1. Get input from your athletes (and most importantly your leaders) - check with your athletes to determine if what you are communicating to them is understood, what they need, and what they want. Encourage your leaders to make suggestions as to how things (e.g., practices, travel, game day preparations, etc.) might be improved. Remember, if you are asking for input... at least be willing to incorporate something (a suggestion) at some point.
2. Keep your athletes informed as to when, where, how, and why (and WHY is most important) - people are not generally motivated to start (or finish) a task that is not clear in terms of when, where, how, or why. Take away any questions or doubts that your athletes may have by clearly and consistently communicating your expectations and intentions. Be clear as to when, where, and how . . . but most important, be sure your athletes know "why" they are being asked to do something.
3. Create an environment that allows for challenge, recognition, appreciation, and quality - some of your athletes will be motivated by a challenge, some by recognition, some by appreciation, and some by quality of performance. It is important to know your athletes and what their primary motive might be. Challenge some (1 v 1 against a teammate), recognize others in front of their teammates (at the end of practice or in the locker room), appreciate others in private (in your office or the hallway), and provide others with a chance to show you a quality performance (quality over quantity of work). Remember, different athletes are motivated by different situations and feedback.
4. Give your athletes a reason to want to work hard - take the time to develop genuine, honest, caring, and trusting relationships with your players. Athletes will work harder (and longer) for someone they know genuinely believes in them, cares about them, and is committed to helping them achieve their potential. At the heart of player motivation . . . is the quality of the coach-athlete relationship.
5. Model what you want to see - be motivated yourself. If you want someone to work hard, you better be working hard. If you want someone to put in extra time, you better be putting in extra time. Athletes do what they see. This is why the motivation of the coaching staff is so important and why it is so important to have quality team leaders who can lead by example, hold accountable, and promote a climate of motivation and inspiration. Set a motivational "standard" by what you do, say, and expect. Say it, expect it, but also make sure you do it!
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader." ~ John Quincy Adams
Trust Wins
As each season starts, one of the biggest challenges for coaches is trying to develop trust between their coaches and players. Being able to trust coaches and players is one of the most important factors that could have an impact on whether your season can be a successful one. You can have all the talent in the world, but if your players don't trust you, your staff or each other, then they are going to have a very difficult time performing and committing to philosophies, strategies and building relationships. Here is a great article from PositiveSports.net ,written by Steve Horan.
When trust abounds, teams play harder, smarter, quicker, tougher, and more together. That's how they win.
Athletes perform better in a culture of trust. When they trust themselves they are more confident. When they trust their teammates they are more collaborative. When they trust their coach they are more committed. When their coach trusts them they are more courageous.
Trust is not something to be taken for granted. It is a highly valuable asset which must be built up over time, but can be lost in a day. One of the most important jobs of a coach is to create a team culture in which trust can live and grow. Here are ten ways a coach can create a culture of trust on a team.
1. Think trust
Before we take a significant action, we can help ourselves by stopping to ask: 'How will what I am about to do affect trust for the team as a whole and this athlete in particular?' Asking this question keeps us from making rash decisions which can erode team trust.
2. Include everyone
Teams are more trusting when everyone feels included. No good coach wants to exclude any athlete from a feeling of belonging to the team. But we all are susceptible to focusing our energy on the athletes who play the most during the course of the season. We can build trust by making a conscious effort to include every athlete in our circle of attention, from the captains and stars to the last athlete off the bench.
3. Show you care
As the old saying goes, 'they don't care what you know until they know that you care.' If you have ever spent any time counseling athletes, you know that caring matters - a LOT. Showing that you care does not mean being a buddy to your athletes. It simply means getting to know your athletes and making it clear that you believe in them and want them to do well. A simple show of caring can dramatically elevate your trust account with an athlete.
4. Be clear and consistent
A wise sports parent once advised me that, 'If you don't give them a reason, they will make one up - and the one they make up will probably be wrong.' This taught me the importance of being clear and consistent. We need to be clear and consistent about our vision, values, and expectations for each athlete. We need to be equally clear and consistent about the reasons for our significant decisions affecting the team or individual athletes. The more our athletes understand our reasoning, the more they will trust our decisions. Note that explaining does not mean justifying. It is important that our athletes understand our decisions. They do not necessarily have to agree with our decisions.
5. Be firm and fair
A fifth way to create a culture of trust is to be firm and fair with all of our athletes. Our athletes watch closely when we make decisions about roles, positions, playing time, and discipline. When they perceive us behaving inconsistently or delivering preferential treatment, our trust account drops. When they see us being firm and fair, they accept our decisions more readily because they trust our motivations.
6. Define roles
Teams become restless and lose trust whenever there is a group of athletes with no clearly defined role on the team. It is a fact of life that not everyone can start and play the whole game. But this does not mean bench players cannot be given highly valuable roles on the team. When we take the time to define roles for all of our athletes, we send a strong message of respect and caring. The result is an increase in trust.
7. Seek understanding
Every athlete struggles at some point. Sometimes the athlete is simply underperforming. Other times the athlete is grappling with a real problem which is affecting their performance. It is hard to know if we don't talk to them about the situation. If we discipline an athlete or withdraw our confidence from an athlete before fully understanding their perspective, we may lose an opportunity to help that athlete grow as a person and a player. On the other hand, we can build tremendous trust with our athletes by taking time to understand their point of view when they are struggling.
8. Show loyalty
Athletes notice loyalty. In particular, they watch how we treat our veteran athletes (e.g. seniors), hard working role players, and injured players. If our athletes perceive that we are disrespecting or neglecting players in these three categories, they will begin to wonder whether their own investment of hard work will pay off. When this happens, our trust account drops. If our athletes see us supporting and respecting these same players, their trust (and commitment) will escalate.
9. Support leaders
Another way to create a culture of trust is to support team leaders, particularly team captains. Some coaches are quite good at delegating responsibility to their captains and then supporting those athletes as they execute their job. But it is not uncommon for coaches to punish captains for stepping up and asserting some leadership. The unfortunate message to the team is, 'Uh oh, leaders get shot down around here.' Captains need not be given an excess of special treatment. But they should be treated respectfully in front of the team. This will build your athletes' trust in you and the captains.
10. Reward effort
Coaches are sometimes susceptible to looking the other way when star athletes do not give 100 percent effort. We may be equally susceptible to not noticing when non-stars give 110 percent. Noticing effort, and rewarding that effort with playing time, sends a powerful message to the entire team. That message is, 'Effort really does matter here. If I work hard, I will be rewarded.' As a result, your athletes learn that they can trust you when you say that effort matters.
Trust is not something to be taken for granted. It is a highly valuable asset which must be built up over time, but can be lost in a day. One of the most important jobs of a coach is to create a team culture in which trust can live and grow. Here are ten ways a coach can create a culture of trust on a team.
1. Think trust
Before we take a significant action, we can help ourselves by stopping to ask: 'How will what I am about to do affect trust for the team as a whole and this athlete in particular?' Asking this question keeps us from making rash decisions which can erode team trust.
2. Include everyone
Teams are more trusting when everyone feels included. No good coach wants to exclude any athlete from a feeling of belonging to the team. But we all are susceptible to focusing our energy on the athletes who play the most during the course of the season. We can build trust by making a conscious effort to include every athlete in our circle of attention, from the captains and stars to the last athlete off the bench.
3. Show you care
As the old saying goes, 'they don't care what you know until they know that you care.' If you have ever spent any time counseling athletes, you know that caring matters - a LOT. Showing that you care does not mean being a buddy to your athletes. It simply means getting to know your athletes and making it clear that you believe in them and want them to do well. A simple show of caring can dramatically elevate your trust account with an athlete.
4. Be clear and consistent
A wise sports parent once advised me that, 'If you don't give them a reason, they will make one up - and the one they make up will probably be wrong.' This taught me the importance of being clear and consistent. We need to be clear and consistent about our vision, values, and expectations for each athlete. We need to be equally clear and consistent about the reasons for our significant decisions affecting the team or individual athletes. The more our athletes understand our reasoning, the more they will trust our decisions. Note that explaining does not mean justifying. It is important that our athletes understand our decisions. They do not necessarily have to agree with our decisions.
5. Be firm and fair
A fifth way to create a culture of trust is to be firm and fair with all of our athletes. Our athletes watch closely when we make decisions about roles, positions, playing time, and discipline. When they perceive us behaving inconsistently or delivering preferential treatment, our trust account drops. When they see us being firm and fair, they accept our decisions more readily because they trust our motivations.
6. Define roles
Teams become restless and lose trust whenever there is a group of athletes with no clearly defined role on the team. It is a fact of life that not everyone can start and play the whole game. But this does not mean bench players cannot be given highly valuable roles on the team. When we take the time to define roles for all of our athletes, we send a strong message of respect and caring. The result is an increase in trust.
7. Seek understanding
Every athlete struggles at some point. Sometimes the athlete is simply underperforming. Other times the athlete is grappling with a real problem which is affecting their performance. It is hard to know if we don't talk to them about the situation. If we discipline an athlete or withdraw our confidence from an athlete before fully understanding their perspective, we may lose an opportunity to help that athlete grow as a person and a player. On the other hand, we can build tremendous trust with our athletes by taking time to understand their point of view when they are struggling.
8. Show loyalty
Athletes notice loyalty. In particular, they watch how we treat our veteran athletes (e.g. seniors), hard working role players, and injured players. If our athletes perceive that we are disrespecting or neglecting players in these three categories, they will begin to wonder whether their own investment of hard work will pay off. When this happens, our trust account drops. If our athletes see us supporting and respecting these same players, their trust (and commitment) will escalate.
9. Support leaders
Another way to create a culture of trust is to support team leaders, particularly team captains. Some coaches are quite good at delegating responsibility to their captains and then supporting those athletes as they execute their job. But it is not uncommon for coaches to punish captains for stepping up and asserting some leadership. The unfortunate message to the team is, 'Uh oh, leaders get shot down around here.' Captains need not be given an excess of special treatment. But they should be treated respectfully in front of the team. This will build your athletes' trust in you and the captains.
10. Reward effort
Coaches are sometimes susceptible to looking the other way when star athletes do not give 100 percent effort. We may be equally susceptible to not noticing when non-stars give 110 percent. Noticing effort, and rewarding that effort with playing time, sends a powerful message to the entire team. That message is, 'Effort really does matter here. If I work hard, I will be rewarded.' As a result, your athletes learn that they can trust you when you say that effort matters.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Handling Expectations
The following comes from a great piece written by Don Yeager for Success Magazine on maintaining excellence. The following are some thoughts he penned from UNC's Roy Williams:
"But I want them to have dreams, not expectations. I want them to have goals, not be concerned about what others say. I wanted them to realize from the earliest point that others who have lots to say have nothing invested. We will be successful if we make the investment and ignore the hype. If you have dreams and goals and are committed to them, are working toward them, it becomes easier to block those outside forces.”
“I recruit character as much as I recruit ability,” Williams says. “And if you’ve built a team of character, they can handle moments that others cannot and they accept coaching on how tomanage pressure.”
“Most elite teams have elite players,” he says. “And when the guy others look up to also happens to be dedicated to constant development, that’s a dream situation.”
Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/33HmVE
Much thanks to Coach Starkey, LSU Women's Assistant Coach for providing this article on how to be a good teammate. His Hoop Thoughts blog can be found here...http://hoopthoughts.blogspot.com/
The following comes from our Hoop Boost site which is dedicated to players. If you haven't visited it yet, take a look and share it with your team. We don't post nearly as often at Hoop Boost, probably about twice a week but all the information is geared towards motivating players.
http://hoopboost.blogspot.com/
1. Puts others ahead of their own agenda.
It means intentionally being aware of your teammates’ needs, available to help them, and able to accept their desires as important.
http://hoopboost.blogspot.com/
1. Puts others ahead of their own agenda.
It means intentionally being aware of your teammates’ needs, available to help them, and able to accept their desires as important.
2. Possesses the confidence to serve.
The real heart of being a good teammate is security. Show me someone who thinks she is too important to serve, and I’ll show you someone who is basically insecure.
3. Initiates service to others.
Just about anyone will serve if compelled to do so. And some will serve in a crisis. But you can really see the heart of someone who initiates service to others.
4. Is not position-conscious.
Good teammates don’t focus on rank, position or playing time.
Good teammates don’t focus on rank, position or playing time.
5. Serves out of love.
The desire to be a good teammate is not motivated by manipulation or self-promotion. It is fueled by love. In the end, the extent of your influence depends on the depth of concern for others.
Paraphrased from The 21 Indispensable Qualities Of A Leader
By John C. Maxwell
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What Winners Do...
Winners hustle. Losers loaf.
Winners praise others. Losers complain.
Winners listen. Losers talk.
Winners are accountable. Losers point the finger.
Winners are enthusiastic. Lowers lack passion.
Winners are great teammates. Losers are selfish.
Winners never quit. Losers give up.
Winners have focus. Losers are disheveled.
Winners have discipline. Losers are weak.
Winners are loyal. Losers are self centered.
Winners have urgency. Losers put things off.
Winners have pride. Losers don’t care.
Winners are coachable. Losers already know it all.
Winners prepare their minds and bodies to win on a daily basis.
Winners do what losers don’t want to do
Pre-Season Workouts: Intangibles
This is the third installment of a three part series on pre-season basketball training. The first post gave a comprehensive overview of a sound pre-season training program. The second post was a checklist to ensure maximum results. This post will tie everything together and take a closer look at the intangible qualities needed for success.
First and foremost, how is your (and your team’s) pre-season training going? Are you getting stronger? Are you getting quicker? Are you becoming more explosive? Are you getting in great basketball shape? Are you better than you were two weeks ago? Do you deserve to be successful this season? You should be evaluating your progress every week. It is not too late to make some adjustments if things are going as well as you would like!
There are three areas you need to make sure you continue to focus on in your pre-season training in order to be the best player (or team) you can this season. They are athleticism, fundamentals, and the intangibles.
Athleticism: strength, power, explosiveness, quickness, agility, reaction, flexibility, and conditioning. These traits must be applied to your fundamentals in order to be a great basketball player. Remember, enhancing these qualities is a means to an end; not an end itself. You need to learn how to use your improved strength and quickness on the court and in your game!
Fundamentals: ball handling, passing, shooting, rebounding, and defending. These skills must be applied to your knowledge and overall feel of the game (basketball IQ) in order to be a great basketball player. Your fundamentals are the parts that make up the whole. You don’t want to be a good “drill” player. You need to learn how to use your improved handle and shot in practice and in the game!
Intangibles: leadership, toughness, communication, and competitiveness. These characteristics are what enable you to take your game to the highest level. They help average players (and teams) become good players (and teams) and good players (and teams) become great players (and teams). If you apply these intangibles to your athleticism and fundamentals you will absolutely be the best player (or team) you can be.
Leadership
Alan Stein believes there is a tremendous lack of leadership in today’s game, which I strongly agree with; specifically with today’s youth. Basketball is a team game that thrives on leadership; from both the coaches and players.
First and foremost, how is your (and your team’s) pre-season training going? Are you getting stronger? Are you getting quicker? Are you becoming more explosive? Are you getting in great basketball shape? Are you better than you were two weeks ago? Do you deserve to be successful this season? You should be evaluating your progress every week. It is not too late to make some adjustments if things are going as well as you would like!
There are three areas you need to make sure you continue to focus on in your pre-season training in order to be the best player (or team) you can this season. They are athleticism, fundamentals, and the intangibles.
Athleticism: strength, power, explosiveness, quickness, agility, reaction, flexibility, and conditioning. These traits must be applied to your fundamentals in order to be a great basketball player. Remember, enhancing these qualities is a means to an end; not an end itself. You need to learn how to use your improved strength and quickness on the court and in your game!
Fundamentals: ball handling, passing, shooting, rebounding, and defending. These skills must be applied to your knowledge and overall feel of the game (basketball IQ) in order to be a great basketball player. Your fundamentals are the parts that make up the whole. You don’t want to be a good “drill” player. You need to learn how to use your improved handle and shot in practice and in the game!
Intangibles: leadership, toughness, communication, and competitiveness. These characteristics are what enable you to take your game to the highest level. They help average players (and teams) become good players (and teams) and good players (and teams) become great players (and teams). If you apply these intangibles to your athleticism and fundamentals you will absolutely be the best player (or team) you can be.
Leadership
Alan Stein believes there is a tremendous lack of leadership in today’s game, which I strongly agree with; specifically with today’s youth. Basketball is a team game that thrives on leadership; from both the coaches and players.
“An army of asses lead by a lion will always defeat and army of lions led by an ass.”
Toughness
Mental toughness is an acquired skill; not inherited trait. Every basketball player out there can become more mentally tough. A good part of being mentally tough is learning to “be comfortable being uncomfortable.” You have to learn to embrace obstacles, difficulties, mistakes, and adversity. You can’t expect anything to be easy. Failure is not only a part of life, but a major part of basketball. If you never fail, you aren’t pushing hard enough or challenging yourself. There are 7 characteristics to mental toughness, all of which can be improved with instruction and practice: competitive, confident, control, committed, composure, courage, and consistency.
Communication
Effective communication can make or break a team. This includes communication on and off the court; among players and coaches. Communication is much more than what you say; it is how you say it. And on top of that, it’s not what you say or how you say it that is important; it’s what the other person hears! Does everyone on your team know exactly what your goals are? Does everyone on the team know exactly what their role is? Do players and coaches know how to effectively deal with confrontation when problems arise?
Effective communication can make or break a team. This includes communication on and off the court; among players and coaches. Communication is much more than what you say; it is how you say it. And on top of that, it’s not what you say or how you say it that is important; it’s what the other person hears! Does everyone on your team know exactly what your goals are? Does everyone on the team know exactly what their role is? Do players and coaches know how to effectively deal with confrontation when problems arise?
HUA= Hear, Understand, Acknowledge
Competitiveness
The desire to compete is vital for success. While basketball should most certainly be “fun”; winning is important. And preparing to win is even more important than that. Like toughness; competitiveness is an acquired skill. You can learn to be more competitive. Your pre-season workouts should be competitive. Players should compete against themselves (against a previous effort), against the clock, and against other teammates. Winners should be rewarded as incentive. If you wait until the jump ball of your first game to get your competitive juices flowing… you will be too late!
The desire to compete is vital for success. While basketball should most certainly be “fun”; winning is important. And preparing to win is even more important than that. Like toughness; competitiveness is an acquired skill. You can learn to be more competitive. Your pre-season workouts should be competitive. Players should compete against themselves (against a previous effort), against the clock, and against other teammates. Winners should be rewarded as incentive. If you wait until the jump ball of your first game to get your competitive juices flowing… you will be too late!
Pre-Season Workouts: 12 Questions
Most schools have been in session for a couple of weeks and most programs have already started their pre-season workouts. So now is the perfect time to take inventory and evaluate.
Here are 12 questions to see if you are really on the right path. Questions to see if you are doing everything you can to not only make the team, but to earn some serious playing time, and have a championship caliber year.
1) Are you on top of your school work? If not, you aren’t going to be able to play so you might want to take care of this ASAP. Once the season starts, time management will be crucial in making sure you don’t fall behind academically. Start strong!
2) Are you getting 8-10 hours of sleep every night? Sleep is when your body grows! You will never be able to perform up to your potential if you aren’t well rested. Intense pre-season training is extremely taxing on your body; so make sure you get your rest.
3) Are you eating breakfast every day? Are you starting your day off by refueling your “machine?” There is no way you can give 100% for an entire workout if you are running on fumes. Pancakes, waffles, bagels, cereal, oatmeal, and fruit are high energy foods and a great way to start your day.
4) Are you drinking enough water? Your performance will decrease severely with the slightest bit of dehydration. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to start drinking water… sip all day long. If you want to maximize your pre-season workouts you must be hydrated.
5) Are you tending to any nagging injuries or soreness? If you are having issues with your knees or back… are you doing anything about it? In most cases, ice is your best friend. If something is sore, ice it down! If pain persists, make sure you go see a doctor or physical therapist for a professional diagnosis. Do not wait until the season to do this… it needs to be addressed now! Don’t let something “little” in the pre-season have an effect on your season.
6) Are you making 200-500 (extra) shots a day? And I am not referring to “social shooting” or just going through the motions. I mean “game shots, from game spots, at game speed.” Are you doing this above and beyond your pre-season workouts? How about your ball handling? Repetition is not punishment; it is the only way to get better! Also noticed I said “make”; not “take” 200-500 shots a day. The name of the game is making shots!
7) Are you on a structured workout program? Are you participating in a structure, organized, progressive program to work on your strength, power, quickness, agility, reaction, and basketball conditioning level? Is it safe? Time efficient? Productive?
8) Do you get to every workout on time? Better yet, do you get there early? If you are only “on time” – you are late! You wouldn’t show up to a game 2 minutes before tip-off, would you?
9) Are you an energy giver at every workout? Is your enthusiasm contagious? Do you hype up your teammates? Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.
10) Are you a team leader? Do you step up to the front of the line for every drill and every sprint? Do you run hard or push for that extra rep in the weight room regardless of whether or not the coach is watching?
11) Are you comfortable being uncomfortable? Do you play it safe each workout or do you give it everything you’ve got? Do you push yourself to the edge of the proverbial cliff every time? Do you work on your weaknesses?
12) Have you met with your coach for his/her evaluation? Have you formally sat down with your coach to ask what things you need to work on to earn time this year? Or to be the best player you can be? Or what he/she envisions your roll to be when the season starts? Coaches, have you done this with each of your players?
Here are 12 questions to see if you are really on the right path. Questions to see if you are doing everything you can to not only make the team, but to earn some serious playing time, and have a championship caliber year.
1) Are you on top of your school work? If not, you aren’t going to be able to play so you might want to take care of this ASAP. Once the season starts, time management will be crucial in making sure you don’t fall behind academically. Start strong!
2) Are you getting 8-10 hours of sleep every night? Sleep is when your body grows! You will never be able to perform up to your potential if you aren’t well rested. Intense pre-season training is extremely taxing on your body; so make sure you get your rest.
3) Are you eating breakfast every day? Are you starting your day off by refueling your “machine?” There is no way you can give 100% for an entire workout if you are running on fumes. Pancakes, waffles, bagels, cereal, oatmeal, and fruit are high energy foods and a great way to start your day.
4) Are you drinking enough water? Your performance will decrease severely with the slightest bit of dehydration. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to start drinking water… sip all day long. If you want to maximize your pre-season workouts you must be hydrated.
5) Are you tending to any nagging injuries or soreness? If you are having issues with your knees or back… are you doing anything about it? In most cases, ice is your best friend. If something is sore, ice it down! If pain persists, make sure you go see a doctor or physical therapist for a professional diagnosis. Do not wait until the season to do this… it needs to be addressed now! Don’t let something “little” in the pre-season have an effect on your season.
6) Are you making 200-500 (extra) shots a day? And I am not referring to “social shooting” or just going through the motions. I mean “game shots, from game spots, at game speed.” Are you doing this above and beyond your pre-season workouts? How about your ball handling? Repetition is not punishment; it is the only way to get better! Also noticed I said “make”; not “take” 200-500 shots a day. The name of the game is making shots!
7) Are you on a structured workout program? Are you participating in a structure, organized, progressive program to work on your strength, power, quickness, agility, reaction, and basketball conditioning level? Is it safe? Time efficient? Productive?
8) Do you get to every workout on time? Better yet, do you get there early? If you are only “on time” – you are late! You wouldn’t show up to a game 2 minutes before tip-off, would you?
9) Are you an energy giver at every workout? Is your enthusiasm contagious? Do you hype up your teammates? Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.
10) Are you a team leader? Do you step up to the front of the line for every drill and every sprint? Do you run hard or push for that extra rep in the weight room regardless of whether or not the coach is watching?
11) Are you comfortable being uncomfortable? Do you play it safe each workout or do you give it everything you’ve got? Do you push yourself to the edge of the proverbial cliff every time? Do you work on your weaknesses?
12) Have you met with your coach for his/her evaluation? Have you formally sat down with your coach to ask what things you need to work on to earn time this year? Or to be the best player you can be? Or what he/she envisions your roll to be when the season starts? Coaches, have you done this with each of your players?
Pre-Season Workouts: It's About Choices
Below is segment 1 of 3 that I will be posting on Pre-season workouts. The information was posted on Alan Stein's website at www.strongerteam.com
To get into great basketball shape; your conditioning program must be:
- Energy system specific (high intensity/short duration, drills should last :15 - :60)
- Movement specific (sprint, back pedal, defensive slides, jumping)
- Progressive (increase intensity, increase volume, decrease rest)
- Competitive (compete against teammate or clock)
- Fun (try to find drills you enjoy doing, you will work harder if you are having fun)
One thing that unites every player in the world this pre-season is the power to choose. You have the right to chose how you will train this pre-season. Every one of us is a product of the choices we make on a daily basis. Where ever we are in life, we are there as a result of the choices we have made. If you are happy and successful, it is because of your choices. If you are unhappy and miserable, it is also because of your choices. Same goes for pre-season training. When the season is here, if you are in great shape it is because you made the choice to be in great shape!
“Keep doing what you’ve been doing and you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. If you don’t like what you’ve been getting than quit doing what you’ve been doing!”
What kind of choices are you making now to start the pre-season? Are you choosing to get plenty of sleep at night? Are you choosing to eat breakfast every day? Are you choosing to work hard in the weight room? Are you choosing to run every sprint/drill as hard as possible? Are you choosing to be enthusiastic and supportive of your teammates?
These are all choices. Your answer to these questions will dictate the success of your pre-season as well as the type of player you will be.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
100,000 Ways to Show Commitment
By Andy Katz, ESPN Basketball Analyst
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Kevin Stallings made the commitment to his Vanderbilt team that it would take a trip this summer to Australia -- and man, did he mean it.
The timing was perfect. Teams are allowed to go overseas for an offseason trip once every four years. Coaches always make sure the trips are done when it makes the most sense. Incoming freshmen can't go since the trips are supposed to occur when school is out of session, so having a veteran team coming back can maximize the experience.
Then a few months ago, reality hit. David Williams, Vanderbilt's vice chancellor for student affairs and athletics, met with Stallings in early spring and told him the money wasn't available for the trip.
"We had waited an extra two years, since it had been six years since we'd gone on a trip,'' said Stallings, whose program traveled to Italy, Spain and the Canary Islands in 2003. "I knew the university was facing a tough time just like the rest of the country. There were people losing jobs. There was so much distress economically for the university to shell out $100,000 for us to make the trip."
The majority of coaches would have likely just left the decision alone. But not Stallings, not with this team, not at a school that he has been so committed to the past decade -- a school that has as sterling a reputation for its ethical behavior as Stallings has within the college basketball community.
"I was convinced it was the right time for the program; it was a hard thing to let die,'' Stallings said. "So I went back to him and proposed the idea of me paying for it, and he agreed to that.''
Nevertheless, Stallings still had to convince his wife, Lisa. Foregoing $100,000 that the university would otherwise owe him as part of his salary is no joke. But this was the ultimate investment in his team, his program, and his future at Vanderbilt. If the trip is a success, it could ultimately be the impetus to catapult the Dores toward a banner season.
"I went home and was convinced the trip had to be made,'' said Stallings by phone from Melbourne, Australia. "I felt our players earned it, deserved it. And my wife said to me, as she usually does, to make sure I've thought it through. I gave it some thought and said it did [make sense]. Our players deserve this and it is an investment in my program.''
Williams, who is traveling with the team on the trip, wrote in an e-mail to ESPN.com that Stallings "did not want the story told, but I am glad you are writing it so all can see that while he is a great ballcoach, he also cares about what's happening around him."
"He understood why we could not pay for the trip at this time and stepped up to help the team and the school," Williams continued. "We are truly lucky and proud that Kevin Stallings is Vanderbilt's basketball coach. I am sure his generous and commitment will pay back a hundred times over."
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Kevin Stallings made the commitment to his Vanderbilt team that it would take a trip this summer to Australia -- and man, did he mean it.
The timing was perfect. Teams are allowed to go overseas for an offseason trip once every four years. Coaches always make sure the trips are done when it makes the most sense. Incoming freshmen can't go since the trips are supposed to occur when school is out of session, so having a veteran team coming back can maximize the experience.
Then a few months ago, reality hit. David Williams, Vanderbilt's vice chancellor for student affairs and athletics, met with Stallings in early spring and told him the money wasn't available for the trip.
"We had waited an extra two years, since it had been six years since we'd gone on a trip,'' said Stallings, whose program traveled to Italy, Spain and the Canary Islands in 2003. "I knew the university was facing a tough time just like the rest of the country. There were people losing jobs. There was so much distress economically for the university to shell out $100,000 for us to make the trip."
The majority of coaches would have likely just left the decision alone. But not Stallings, not with this team, not at a school that he has been so committed to the past decade -- a school that has as sterling a reputation for its ethical behavior as Stallings has within the college basketball community.
"I was convinced it was the right time for the program; it was a hard thing to let die,'' Stallings said. "So I went back to him and proposed the idea of me paying for it, and he agreed to that.''
Nevertheless, Stallings still had to convince his wife, Lisa. Foregoing $100,000 that the university would otherwise owe him as part of his salary is no joke. But this was the ultimate investment in his team, his program, and his future at Vanderbilt. If the trip is a success, it could ultimately be the impetus to catapult the Dores toward a banner season.
"I went home and was convinced the trip had to be made,'' said Stallings by phone from Melbourne, Australia. "I felt our players earned it, deserved it. And my wife said to me, as she usually does, to make sure I've thought it through. I gave it some thought and said it did [make sense]. Our players deserve this and it is an investment in my program.''
Williams, who is traveling with the team on the trip, wrote in an e-mail to ESPN.com that Stallings "did not want the story told, but I am glad you are writing it so all can see that while he is a great ballcoach, he also cares about what's happening around him."
"He understood why we could not pay for the trip at this time and stepped up to help the team and the school," Williams continued. "We are truly lucky and proud that Kevin Stallings is Vanderbilt's basketball coach. I am sure his generous and commitment will pay back a hundred times over."
"This wasn't a difficult decision to make,'' Stallings said.
"It wasn't something I had to labor over. The players are having a terrific time. We demand a lot in this program, but our guys work hard, play hard and conduct themselves with a tremendous amount of class, and that's important to me.''
Monday, August 10, 2009
The A, B, C's of Success
Found this on Kevin Eastman's Twitter. Kevin is the assistant coach for the Boston Celtics and a great player development guru!
"ATTITUDE, BELIEF, and CHEMISTRY are 3 key factors in TEAM SUCCESS; I call them the ABC's of Success"
Twitterisms for August 10
- Below are a few great quotes I found on a few Twitter sites...
- "There comes a time when winter asks what you have done all summer"
- The price of greatness is responsibility
- "Surrender" is not in a CHAMPIONS vocabulary
- "ENCOURAGEMENT". It ENables players to play with the *COURAGE* to dare the difficult-without the fear of making a mistake
- CONFIDENCE determines whether our steps — individually and collectively — are tiny and tentative or big and bold.”
- You must be committed to do the things today that others won’t do, so tomorrow you will have the things others won’t have.
- A secret to success: ALWAYS exceed expectations. Even with the "small" stuff. Under promise and over deliver. Do more than is asked.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Momentum Breakers vs. Momentum Makers
This is a very good article from John Maxwell, a well known author on Leadership. As Dr. Maxwell explains, your responsibility as a leader is to understand momentum, to get it moving for your organization, and to sustain it over time. That momentum must be sustained even during times of adversity. People who are fully committed to a team, a group or an organization never waiver that committment during times of adversity. This is an important concept to remember when speaking to a group about gaining their commitment towards establishing relationships, identifying roles and achieving team goals. As a leader or a coach, we should all be reviewing the concept of momentum breaker vs a momentum maker and defining each type and the overall impact each has on a team's ability to achieve success.
Momentum Breakers and Makers
Momentum breaker - double-mindedness
Momentum maker - focus
By creating and following a clear and focused vision statement, a leader develops momentum. A leader drains away momentum by shooting at nothing or attempting everything.
Movement causes friction. When you paint a target for your team, you'll likely encounter resistance. As a leader, you can't restrict yourself by living inside of someone else's comfort zone. Great accomplishments require leaders to fix their gaze beyond what's easily attainable.
Momentum breaker - the past
Momentum maker - the future
An organization picks up steam when its leaders point to a better tomorrow. Momentum breaks down when leaders preoccupy themselves with the past. Or, as I've heard quoted, "Losers yearn for the past and get stuck in it. Winners learn from the past and let go of it."
Many people have powerful dreams. However, most don't realize that the viability of their ideal tomorrow is based on what they do today. The difference between a dream and wishful thinking is what you're doing now. Practice today what you want to be tomorrow. If you do it well enough, someday you may arrive at your dream. In other words...if you want to be a champion, then you must practice like a champion everday!
Momentum breaker - individualism
Momentum maker - teamwork
If you want to kill momentum, then insist on doing things by yourself. Momentum grows through team victories in which numerous people can claim to have played a role. The level of celebration on a team depends upon the level of participation.
Momentum breaker - critical attitude
Momentum maker - constructive attitude
Tennis great Chris Evert said it best, "The thing that separates good players from great ones is mental attitude. It might only make a difference of two or three points over an entire match, but how you play those key points often makes the difference between winning and losing."
Momentum breaker - tradition
Momentum maker - creativity
Don't tear down the fence until you understand why it was built. At the same time, relentlessly question the logic, "that's how we have always done it." What worked in the past may be outdated and could hold you back in the future.
Momentum breaker - apathy
Momentum maker - passion
Passion energizes your talent and rubs off on those around you. If you have courage, then you will influence people based on your passionate convictions. If you lack courage, then you will only influence people to the extent of your comfort zone.
Momentum breaker - dishonesty
Momentum maker - character
Character is the sum total of our everyday choices. It cannot be built overnight. A trustworthy leader has a much easier time generating momentum than a leader with a reputation of being manipulative and deceitful.
Momentum breaker - conformity
Momentum maker - change
As John F. Kennedy said, "Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth." Sticking with the status quo won't create an ounce of momentum. Although it's difficult and may demand sacrifice, change is required to build momentum.
Momentum breaker - ingratitude
Momentum maker - gratitude
As a Chinese proverb states, "Those who drink the water must remember those who dug the well." No one can claim to be self-made. Whatever accomplishments we attain in life have connections to the goodwill and support of those around us. When we express thankfulness for the benefits bestowed upon us by friends and colleagues, then those people are more apt to aid us again in the future.
Momentum breaker - indecision
Momentum maker - action
I am never overly impressed with idea people. Anyone who takes a long shower can come up with a good idea. I'm impressed with a person who has the tenacity and discipline to make ideas happen. I've seen many leaders break the momentum on their team by succumbing to the paralysis of analysis. Leaders have to act with incomplete information. You can never know all of the variables. Momentum and risk go hand in hand. As a leader, if you always play it safe, then you'll never inspire excitement in those you lead.
Closing Assignment
I'll leave you with a simple assignment. Assess your personal momentum. Are you serving as a momentum breaker or a momentum maker on your team? What is responsible for your momentum or lack thereof? Do you recognize any of the momentum makers or breakers in your personal leadership?
Momentum Breakers and Makers
Momentum breaker - double-mindedness
Momentum maker - focus
By creating and following a clear and focused vision statement, a leader develops momentum. A leader drains away momentum by shooting at nothing or attempting everything.
Movement causes friction. When you paint a target for your team, you'll likely encounter resistance. As a leader, you can't restrict yourself by living inside of someone else's comfort zone. Great accomplishments require leaders to fix their gaze beyond what's easily attainable.
Momentum breaker - the past
Momentum maker - the future
An organization picks up steam when its leaders point to a better tomorrow. Momentum breaks down when leaders preoccupy themselves with the past. Or, as I've heard quoted, "Losers yearn for the past and get stuck in it. Winners learn from the past and let go of it."
Many people have powerful dreams. However, most don't realize that the viability of their ideal tomorrow is based on what they do today. The difference between a dream and wishful thinking is what you're doing now. Practice today what you want to be tomorrow. If you do it well enough, someday you may arrive at your dream. In other words...if you want to be a champion, then you must practice like a champion everday!
Momentum breaker - individualism
Momentum maker - teamwork
If you want to kill momentum, then insist on doing things by yourself. Momentum grows through team victories in which numerous people can claim to have played a role. The level of celebration on a team depends upon the level of participation.
Momentum breaker - critical attitude
Momentum maker - constructive attitude
Tennis great Chris Evert said it best, "The thing that separates good players from great ones is mental attitude. It might only make a difference of two or three points over an entire match, but how you play those key points often makes the difference between winning and losing."
Momentum breaker - tradition
Momentum maker - creativity
Don't tear down the fence until you understand why it was built. At the same time, relentlessly question the logic, "that's how we have always done it." What worked in the past may be outdated and could hold you back in the future.
Momentum breaker - apathy
Momentum maker - passion
Passion energizes your talent and rubs off on those around you. If you have courage, then you will influence people based on your passionate convictions. If you lack courage, then you will only influence people to the extent of your comfort zone.
Momentum breaker - dishonesty
Momentum maker - character
Character is the sum total of our everyday choices. It cannot be built overnight. A trustworthy leader has a much easier time generating momentum than a leader with a reputation of being manipulative and deceitful.
Momentum breaker - conformity
Momentum maker - change
As John F. Kennedy said, "Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth." Sticking with the status quo won't create an ounce of momentum. Although it's difficult and may demand sacrifice, change is required to build momentum.
Momentum breaker - ingratitude
Momentum maker - gratitude
As a Chinese proverb states, "Those who drink the water must remember those who dug the well." No one can claim to be self-made. Whatever accomplishments we attain in life have connections to the goodwill and support of those around us. When we express thankfulness for the benefits bestowed upon us by friends and colleagues, then those people are more apt to aid us again in the future.
Momentum breaker - indecision
Momentum maker - action
I am never overly impressed with idea people. Anyone who takes a long shower can come up with a good idea. I'm impressed with a person who has the tenacity and discipline to make ideas happen. I've seen many leaders break the momentum on their team by succumbing to the paralysis of analysis. Leaders have to act with incomplete information. You can never know all of the variables. Momentum and risk go hand in hand. As a leader, if you always play it safe, then you'll never inspire excitement in those you lead.
Closing Assignment
I'll leave you with a simple assignment. Assess your personal momentum. Are you serving as a momentum breaker or a momentum maker on your team? What is responsible for your momentum or lack thereof? Do you recognize any of the momentum makers or breakers in your personal leadership?
The Importance of Having a Team
This article was posted by Bob Starkey, the Associate Head Coach for the women's basketball team at LSU. Special thanks to coach Starkey for providing us with such a powerful article on why coaching a team is so important to so many. For me, this article really hit home because a day not spent in gym helping student-athletes improve and work towards achieving their goals, is like a having a bad day!
If you have followed Coach Don Meyer the past year, he has not doubt been a great inspiration to us all. But it is important to understand that as he navigates through the adversity that even in pain he is trying to teach us coaches. It is what he does best -- help us to do our jobs better.
That's why one message he was sending us over and over resonated with me very strongly -- give thanks we have a team. If you watched any of his interviews, the part that was most emotional for Coach Meyer was talking about having a team to coach -- to teach -- to mold.
During a video of his story showed during the ESPYs, the poignant moment of the night was when his daughter Brittany spoke of the first communicative message from Coach after the car accident. Unable to speak, he grabbed a pen and pad and wrote, "How long before I can coach?" In other words, "when can I rejoin my team!"
Not too long ago I had career opportunity that would have kept me in athletics but took me away from coaching. As I do before making a big decision, I have a small circle of influence that I ask for advice and guidance which by the way always includes Coach Meyer. At the top of that list is my junior high coach and mentor, Allen Osborne. Allen listened to me explain everything and then told me to pass on it and stay in coaching. I asked him why and he responded, "You will miss the feeling of being part of a team. You will miss shaping a team. There is something special about a team." His words carried a lot of weight because a few years before, after long and successful career, Allen had retired. It lasted on year. He need a team again.
To me the best part of being a coach is practice. It's what I enjoy the most. It's where I think I have the most influence on our "team." The way we conduct practices at LSU, in my opinion, not only makes them better players but better people. When asked what he misses most about coaching, John Wooden simply said, "Practice. The smell of the gym. The sound of sneakers squeaking."
This really hit home even more last night when I was reading "Champion," a magazine published by the NCAA. Don Ketchum wrote an article in this summer's edition on Bruce Snyder. Coach Snyder was an outstanding football coach that died last spring after a courageous 10-month battle with cancer.
Here's a little from Ketchum's article:
Snyder's cancer was discovered in June 2008, and he began his long difficult fight at medical facilities in Phoenix and at his home. Late in 2008, Snyder was invited by Texas coach Mack Brown to visit practice for the Fiesta Bowl. Snyder described the experience on http://www.caringbridge.org/:
"I was treated first class," he wrote. "Golf cart, access to the entire field, introduction to Coach Brown's staff individually and was able to watch the entire practice."
"At one point, I closed my eyes and took in the feeling of being at practice. There was the smell of cut grass, the voices of coaches on the run yelling instructions, the sound of the horn to alert players and coaches to switch drills and the sounds of pads -- it took me back to the days that I cherish."
"And at the end of practice, Coach Brown introduced me to his team and asked if I would say a few words. What an honor. I love talking to a team. It wasn't my team, but it was a football team."
Sometimes we take things for granted -- like we in fact do have a team...our team! Sure, we have our share of adversity and obstacles but that's life -- and we still have our team!
It also reminds of something that I heard Kelvin Sampson speak about three springs ago at a coaching clinic. He said his program would look each year for a retired coach to adopt because of the enormous hole in your soul when you get out of coaching. They would invite the coach to practices. Ask him for input. Have him address their team. Take him on a road trip. What an amazing idea. Mack Brown gave Coach Snyder a wonderful gift by making him a part of the Longhorn football program for an afternoon.
So today, let's be thankful that we have a team...a team to practice...a team to coach. And let's think about those who no longer do and make them a part of our team!
If you have the time, please copy and paste and email this to every coach you know. It's really an important message for all coaches to understand.
If you have followed Coach Don Meyer the past year, he has not doubt been a great inspiration to us all. But it is important to understand that as he navigates through the adversity that even in pain he is trying to teach us coaches. It is what he does best -- help us to do our jobs better.
That's why one message he was sending us over and over resonated with me very strongly -- give thanks we have a team. If you watched any of his interviews, the part that was most emotional for Coach Meyer was talking about having a team to coach -- to teach -- to mold.
During a video of his story showed during the ESPYs, the poignant moment of the night was when his daughter Brittany spoke of the first communicative message from Coach after the car accident. Unable to speak, he grabbed a pen and pad and wrote, "How long before I can coach?" In other words, "when can I rejoin my team!"
Not too long ago I had career opportunity that would have kept me in athletics but took me away from coaching. As I do before making a big decision, I have a small circle of influence that I ask for advice and guidance which by the way always includes Coach Meyer. At the top of that list is my junior high coach and mentor, Allen Osborne. Allen listened to me explain everything and then told me to pass on it and stay in coaching. I asked him why and he responded, "You will miss the feeling of being part of a team. You will miss shaping a team. There is something special about a team." His words carried a lot of weight because a few years before, after long and successful career, Allen had retired. It lasted on year. He need a team again.
To me the best part of being a coach is practice. It's what I enjoy the most. It's where I think I have the most influence on our "team." The way we conduct practices at LSU, in my opinion, not only makes them better players but better people. When asked what he misses most about coaching, John Wooden simply said, "Practice. The smell of the gym. The sound of sneakers squeaking."
This really hit home even more last night when I was reading "Champion," a magazine published by the NCAA. Don Ketchum wrote an article in this summer's edition on Bruce Snyder. Coach Snyder was an outstanding football coach that died last spring after a courageous 10-month battle with cancer.
Here's a little from Ketchum's article:
Snyder's cancer was discovered in June 2008, and he began his long difficult fight at medical facilities in Phoenix and at his home. Late in 2008, Snyder was invited by Texas coach Mack Brown to visit practice for the Fiesta Bowl. Snyder described the experience on http://www.caringbridge.org/:
"I was treated first class," he wrote. "Golf cart, access to the entire field, introduction to Coach Brown's staff individually and was able to watch the entire practice."
"At one point, I closed my eyes and took in the feeling of being at practice. There was the smell of cut grass, the voices of coaches on the run yelling instructions, the sound of the horn to alert players and coaches to switch drills and the sounds of pads -- it took me back to the days that I cherish."
"And at the end of practice, Coach Brown introduced me to his team and asked if I would say a few words. What an honor. I love talking to a team. It wasn't my team, but it was a football team."
Sometimes we take things for granted -- like we in fact do have a team...our team! Sure, we have our share of adversity and obstacles but that's life -- and we still have our team!
It also reminds of something that I heard Kelvin Sampson speak about three springs ago at a coaching clinic. He said his program would look each year for a retired coach to adopt because of the enormous hole in your soul when you get out of coaching. They would invite the coach to practices. Ask him for input. Have him address their team. Take him on a road trip. What an amazing idea. Mack Brown gave Coach Snyder a wonderful gift by making him a part of the Longhorn football program for an afternoon.
So today, let's be thankful that we have a team...a team to practice...a team to coach. And let's think about those who no longer do and make them a part of our team!
If you have the time, please copy and paste and email this to every coach you know. It's really an important message for all coaches to understand.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
How to Win with Less Talent
Let's face it, we have all been there as coaches...young players who are inexperienced, undersized and lack athleticism. How do you win with such a low level of talent? Good, talented players make us out to be good coaches. You can have the best offensive plays, presses or scramble defense in the world, but it takes talented players to execute those x's and o's. So, how do you win with less talent? It's been done! Here is a piece from Hubie Brown on how it can be done...
Here are some thoughts from Dick Bennett on how to win with less talent...
Make free throws; don't foul - giving up free throws & negating pressure; don't give second shots to the opponent; don't give up offensive rebounds; prevent turnovers; take good shots; and don't give up uncontested shots to the opponent.
- Control the defensive boards
- Take more shots than your opponent...by forcing turnovers and offensive rebounds
- Shoot more Free Throws...must make them; get 3-pt plays...you must get to the line! The team that takes the most FTs wins 9 out of 10 times.
- Get your best shooters high percentage shots...is your offense getting your best 2 shooters shots that they can make?... chart your shooting drills to see where they shoot well from
- Prevent turnovers...by breaking pressure...the difference between great teams is often the amount of time it takes to advance the ball from top of key to top of key.
Here are some thoughts from Dick Bennett on how to win with less talent...
Make free throws; don't foul - giving up free throws & negating pressure; don't give second shots to the opponent; don't give up offensive rebounds; prevent turnovers; take good shots; and don't give up uncontested shots to the opponent.
Twitter Quotes
I don't currently have a Twitter account, but it's a great place to go for powerful quotes that are short and to the point. Here are a few that I came across lately that I thought were interesting...
- You haven't EARNED the right to shoot until you have LEARNED what a good shot is.
- from Ed Schilling:"Guard your yard"-prevent your man from dribble penetrating 1 yard on either side of you
- Your program must have an overriding purpose which is clearly visible and which teaches lessons beyond winning. -- Don Meyer
- "Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."
- Defensively think about this: wins occur by what you do on the other side of the floor; not always what you do on the ball side of floor
- execution requires timing, spacing, pace, vision, and concentration; the great teams understand this and work on these things each day!
- "Habit passes" are what our defenders have to ready for; all players seem to have them; if defense is ready for them you can get a few
- A hesitant athlete is a non athlete
- Little hinges swing big doors. Little things do make a big difference!
- Take pride in overcoming difficulties. The greater the difficulty, the greater the pride
- "Treat people as they are, and they will remain that way. Treat them as what they can be, and you help them become..." - Goethe
- The 4 Cancerous Behaviors of Athletes: Criticizing, Complaining, Comparing & Condemning.
- Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Notes From the LeBron James Academy
by Alan Stein 9. July 2009 08:23
The mission of the LeBron James Nike Skills Academy was the same as the position academies; “positively impact the lives of elite players by providing superior instruction, personal mentorship, and a once in a lifetime experience.” The goal of the Lebron Academy was to build on the previous academies and teach players how to incorporate the skills they learned specifically for their position in to a team philosophy. Did they accomplish their goal? As George Bush said, “mission accomplished.” Although this time it is true!
Nike set the standard for youth basketball development and the LeBron James Skills Academy and accompanying King City Classic have been heralded as the premiere events of the summer. What made it such an incredible event was the fact that King James himself was so actively involved. The reigning NBA MVP made a commitment to be an integral part of this event and he came through in a big way. It is universally accepted that LeBron has an undeniable work ethic, solid fundamentals, and an obvious passion and true love for the game. He epitomizes everything positive about the greatest game on earth. And despite his astounding fame, fortune, and world renowned notoriety, he still made the time to give back and to help those aspiring to follow in his foot steps. I saw first hand, for three and half days, that LeBron is a class act and deserves every bit of the success he has achieved.
In addition to LeBron’s participation, Nike assembled an elite staff of coaches and skill instructors; including many of the games best teachers. The theme at the initial staff meeting was succinct:
The official banquet was held on Monday and was absolutely spectacular. The food, décor, and atmosphere were first class. There was a professional DJ spinning records the entire time and they showed numerous LeBron highlight clips and commercials (many of which haven’t been released yet). The highlight of the night was a live Q & A with King James and ESPN’s Jay Bilas. Jay asked numerous questions as well as asked LeBron to say the first thing that popped into his mind when historic pictures of his career were put on the big screen; first Sports Illustrated cover (“I was just a kid”), shaking David Stern’s hand on draft night (“a dream come true”), holding up the 2009 MVP trophy (“hard work paid off”), and hearing the National Anthem upon receiving the Gold Medal in the 2009 Olympics in Beijing (“biggest accomplishment of my career”). LeBron was funny, entertaining, but very truthful. Again, a total class act. Nike kept highlighting the fact that LeBron is extremely loyal. For example he still resides in Akron, where he grew up, and insisted the academy was held in his hometown. He even chose to have his MVP press conference at his old high school to show the world he hasn’t forgotten his roots. Nike presented him with a pair of one of kind LeBron 2009 MVP Air Force 1’s. In closing, LeBron told the players, “I am here for you guys, the players. You are the games’ future, so take that seriously. Represent yourselves to the fullest and honor the game. Heck, one of you might host a camp that my kid goes to one day!”
While this was my third time meeting and seeing LeBron up close; I forgot how physically imposing he is. He is an absolute specimen. He has the perfect basketball physique. I closely followed his every move as I am always trying to learn from the great ones. He had a very standard pre-workout routine (which I wrote down in my notes) he followed meticulously before every workout session. It included getting his ankles taped and having his trainer (Mike Mancias of the Cleveland Cavaliers) stretch him out thoroughly. Once he hit the court he was all business. Intently watching him in the drills, I noticed that everything he did was crisp and sharp. He did everything at game speed; never just went through the motions. Every pass, every shot, and even his footwork were perfect. LeBron has great work habits. He had tremendous focus and an unbelievable level of concentration during each workout. He was also a great communicator. Despite balls bouncing, shoes squeaking, and players competing in drills on two courts – you could always hear his voice. He was a presence. Mark my words; LeBron James is not a great player by accident. He was worked for it. He has earned it.
Speaking of communication; midway through the first workout, he pulled the high schoolers aside to offer this bit of wisdom, “As the best player on your team, your presence alone should create opportunities for your teammates. You should demand double and triple teams every time you touch the ball which means your teammates are open. It’s your responsibility to get them the ball and to help them be successful. Great players make those around them better.” Amen.
Unfortunately, I never got the opportunity to interview LeBron one on one about his training. So I did the next best thing; I spoke with his trainer! Mike Mancias, an assistant athletic trainer and strength & conditioning coach for the Cavs, was gracious enough to rap with me for a few minutes and give me some insight to LeBron’s regiment. While working for the Cavs full time, Coach Mancias is primarily responsible for LeBron. He goes with LeBron everywhere; even went with him to China for the Olympics. Since LeBron is such a workout machine, Coach Mancias admitted he is on call and keeps his Blackberry glued to his hip! He said LeBron does something workout wise almost every day; shooting work with private coach, hits the weights, takes yoga, or does some pool work. He aims to do 3 or 4 structured strength workouts a week focusing on full body movements, core strength, and improving joint mobility and integrity (ankles, hips, etc.). He also incorporates some cardio intervals in the mix. I watched one of LeBron’s strength workouts which included a combination of upper body movements, core exercises, and short intervals on the versa-climber. I always feel good knowing the stuff I do with my players is the same stuff guys like King James does! I also saw part of one of LeBron’s shooting workouts; very intense.
Jay Bilas, whom I have always very much respected and admired, brought up a great point about Mike’s talk. Inevitably, when you ask a group of elite level players “who wants to play in the NBA?” every hand in the room goes up. Then you ask, “Who truly believes they will play in the NBA?” not a single hand budges – they all stay up. Then you ask, “How many of you have made basketball your #1 priority; have made it 100% your main focus in life?” Again, no hands waver. Every player in the room swears they have made basketball their life and truly believes they are doing everything they can to make it to the league.
Yet when you ask them if they spend an hour a day working on their weak hand, or if they make (not take) 400-500 shots a day from game spots at game speed, or if they have read any books by Dean Smith, John Wooden, or Pete Newell, or if they are on a structured, year round strength & conditioning program, if they eat breakfast every day… 99.99% of the time you only get excuses. A lot of players say they will do anything to make it the NBA, but only a select few actually do.
Nike set the standard for youth basketball development and the LeBron James Skills Academy and accompanying King City Classic have been heralded as the premiere events of the summer. What made it such an incredible event was the fact that King James himself was so actively involved. The reigning NBA MVP made a commitment to be an integral part of this event and he came through in a big way. It is universally accepted that LeBron has an undeniable work ethic, solid fundamentals, and an obvious passion and true love for the game. He epitomizes everything positive about the greatest game on earth. And despite his astounding fame, fortune, and world renowned notoriety, he still made the time to give back and to help those aspiring to follow in his foot steps. I saw first hand, for three and half days, that LeBron is a class act and deserves every bit of the success he has achieved.
In addition to LeBron’s participation, Nike assembled an elite staff of coaches and skill instructors; including many of the games best teachers. The theme at the initial staff meeting was succinct:
Have energy and enthusiasm at every workout; sweat with the players.
Teach
to your personality; don’t try to be someone you’re not. Be authentic.
Keep the drills moving! Less talk, more action!
It’s not how much you
know; it’s how much you bring that counts! Bring your best every workout.
Improvement is a constant, repetitive process. Do the little things to
keep things fun!
The official banquet was held on Monday and was absolutely spectacular. The food, décor, and atmosphere were first class. There was a professional DJ spinning records the entire time and they showed numerous LeBron highlight clips and commercials (many of which haven’t been released yet). The highlight of the night was a live Q & A with King James and ESPN’s Jay Bilas. Jay asked numerous questions as well as asked LeBron to say the first thing that popped into his mind when historic pictures of his career were put on the big screen; first Sports Illustrated cover (“I was just a kid”), shaking David Stern’s hand on draft night (“a dream come true”), holding up the 2009 MVP trophy (“hard work paid off”), and hearing the National Anthem upon receiving the Gold Medal in the 2009 Olympics in Beijing (“biggest accomplishment of my career”). LeBron was funny, entertaining, but very truthful. Again, a total class act. Nike kept highlighting the fact that LeBron is extremely loyal. For example he still resides in Akron, where he grew up, and insisted the academy was held in his hometown. He even chose to have his MVP press conference at his old high school to show the world he hasn’t forgotten his roots. Nike presented him with a pair of one of kind LeBron 2009 MVP Air Force 1’s. In closing, LeBron told the players, “I am here for you guys, the players. You are the games’ future, so take that seriously. Represent yourselves to the fullest and honor the game. Heck, one of you might host a camp that my kid goes to one day!”
While this was my third time meeting and seeing LeBron up close; I forgot how physically imposing he is. He is an absolute specimen. He has the perfect basketball physique. I closely followed his every move as I am always trying to learn from the great ones. He had a very standard pre-workout routine (which I wrote down in my notes) he followed meticulously before every workout session. It included getting his ankles taped and having his trainer (Mike Mancias of the Cleveland Cavaliers) stretch him out thoroughly. Once he hit the court he was all business. Intently watching him in the drills, I noticed that everything he did was crisp and sharp. He did everything at game speed; never just went through the motions. Every pass, every shot, and even his footwork were perfect. LeBron has great work habits. He had tremendous focus and an unbelievable level of concentration during each workout. He was also a great communicator. Despite balls bouncing, shoes squeaking, and players competing in drills on two courts – you could always hear his voice. He was a presence. Mark my words; LeBron James is not a great player by accident. He was worked for it. He has earned it.
Speaking of communication; midway through the first workout, he pulled the high schoolers aside to offer this bit of wisdom, “As the best player on your team, your presence alone should create opportunities for your teammates. You should demand double and triple teams every time you touch the ball which means your teammates are open. It’s your responsibility to get them the ball and to help them be successful. Great players make those around them better.” Amen.
Unfortunately, I never got the opportunity to interview LeBron one on one about his training. So I did the next best thing; I spoke with his trainer! Mike Mancias, an assistant athletic trainer and strength & conditioning coach for the Cavs, was gracious enough to rap with me for a few minutes and give me some insight to LeBron’s regiment. While working for the Cavs full time, Coach Mancias is primarily responsible for LeBron. He goes with LeBron everywhere; even went with him to China for the Olympics. Since LeBron is such a workout machine, Coach Mancias admitted he is on call and keeps his Blackberry glued to his hip! He said LeBron does something workout wise almost every day; shooting work with private coach, hits the weights, takes yoga, or does some pool work. He aims to do 3 or 4 structured strength workouts a week focusing on full body movements, core strength, and improving joint mobility and integrity (ankles, hips, etc.). He also incorporates some cardio intervals in the mix. I watched one of LeBron’s strength workouts which included a combination of upper body movements, core exercises, and short intervals on the versa-climber. I always feel good knowing the stuff I do with my players is the same stuff guys like King James does! I also saw part of one of LeBron’s shooting workouts; very intense.
Jay Bilas, whom I have always very much respected and admired, brought up a great point about Mike’s talk. Inevitably, when you ask a group of elite level players “who wants to play in the NBA?” every hand in the room goes up. Then you ask, “Who truly believes they will play in the NBA?” not a single hand budges – they all stay up. Then you ask, “How many of you have made basketball your #1 priority; have made it 100% your main focus in life?” Again, no hands waver. Every player in the room swears they have made basketball their life and truly believes they are doing everything they can to make it to the league.
Yet when you ask them if they spend an hour a day working on their weak hand, or if they make (not take) 400-500 shots a day from game spots at game speed, or if they have read any books by Dean Smith, John Wooden, or Pete Newell, or if they are on a structured, year round strength & conditioning program, if they eat breakfast every day… 99.99% of the time you only get excuses. A lot of players say they will do anything to make it the NBA, but only a select few actually do.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Random Thoughts
I usually post a "Thought of the Day", but I have recently come across a few thoughts and quotes that I really liked...
"He works great with players," Hewitt said. "I think the way he connects with players is what separates him from everyone else. He knows the game really well, too. He studies it and always does a great job scouting. He's going to get the kids to buy in, and he'll keep them motivated and they'll play really, really hard for him."- Paul Hewitt, Head Coach at Georgia Tech on newly hired coach at Georgia Southern, Charlton Young.
"It’s the way you handle the kids and it’s morale and that’s a big thing here. When you break morale, kids aren’t going to play for you; they don’t want to play for you. The kids have to like you to a certain extent and have to respect you. But you have to respect them, too, and treat them fairly.”
- Former Marine Corps Lt. and newly hired Shade HS Head Varsity Footbal Coach, Gene Boley
- Pete Newell, the legendary coach and teacher, has often said that basketball is "over-coached and under-taught".
- Wake Forest football coach Jim Grobe: "We're not looking for the best players we can find. We're looking for the best kids we can find."
Friday, June 26, 2009
Happy Father's Day!
Check out the video below I posted from You Tube, where Hubie Brown talks about his greatest inspiration...his father. In the video he talks about how his father taught him everything, most importantly to never cheat yourself, never cheat your teammates and never cheat your coaches or employer! He taught him that everything in life must be earned. Our fathers should all be our inspirations!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IIRsGIn3Ko&feature=player_embedded
I can honestly say that my father was my inspiration. He was a small man physically, very kind hearted, very calm and soft spoken. But, in so many ways he was a giant. His lessons that were taught to me were the best. He was great father who taught me so many life lessons, mostly through sports. He was a great person who valued friendship, honesty, integrity and servicing his community. He was hardworking, dedicated and commited to giving his best to what ever he was doing. He was extremely proud of his family and where he came from and was willing to do anything for his family and friends. He was proud but humbled and constantly reminded me that no matter how hard I worked or how good I thought I was, there was always somebody out there somewhere working just as hard, if not harder than me. That drove me to work harder, thinking that there could be somebody else out-working me. I didn't want that, so I kept working and working to get better. Dad, thanks for being you. Thanks for always being there, coaching, supporting and loving us no matter what we did. We love you and miss you greatly!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IIRsGIn3Ko&feature=player_embedded
I can honestly say that my father was my inspiration. He was a small man physically, very kind hearted, very calm and soft spoken. But, in so many ways he was a giant. His lessons that were taught to me were the best. He was great father who taught me so many life lessons, mostly through sports. He was a great person who valued friendship, honesty, integrity and servicing his community. He was hardworking, dedicated and commited to giving his best to what ever he was doing. He was extremely proud of his family and where he came from and was willing to do anything for his family and friends. He was proud but humbled and constantly reminded me that no matter how hard I worked or how good I thought I was, there was always somebody out there somewhere working just as hard, if not harder than me. That drove me to work harder, thinking that there could be somebody else out-working me. I didn't want that, so I kept working and working to get better. Dad, thanks for being you. Thanks for always being there, coaching, supporting and loving us no matter what we did. We love you and miss you greatly!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Power of Purpose
When you are inspired
by some great purpose,
some extraordinary project,
all your thoughts
break their bounds:
Your mind
transcends limitations,
your consciousness
expands in every direction,
and you find yourself
in a new, great,
and wonderful world.
Dormant forces,
faculties, and talents
become alive,
and you discover yourself
to be a greater person by far
than you ever dreamed
yourself to be.
- Patanjali (Second century B.C.) philosopher
by some great purpose,
some extraordinary project,
all your thoughts
break their bounds:
Your mind
transcends limitations,
your consciousness
expands in every direction,
and you find yourself
in a new, great,
and wonderful world.
Dormant forces,
faculties, and talents
become alive,
and you discover yourself
to be a greater person by far
than you ever dreamed
yourself to be.
- Patanjali (Second century B.C.) philosopher
Thursday, June 4, 2009
"TOTD" for May 31, 2009
I thought that I would publish this "TOTD" as a post in honor of my father on his birthday... thans Dad for helping me to fall in love with sports as a kid and teaching me the lessons in life through sports!
Thanks Dad for helping me to fall in love with sports as a kid and teaching me the lessons of life through sports! I love you!
Somewhere behind the athlete you've become, the hours of practice, the coaches who push you, the teammates who believe in you and the fans who cheer for you, there is the little boy who fell in love with the game and never looked back...PLAY FOR HIM!
Thanks Dad for helping me to fall in love with sports as a kid and teaching me the lessons of life through sports! I love you!
Positive Coaching Aliance (PCA) - The Double Goal Coach
Double-Goal Coach™: “Coaching for Winning and Life Lessons”
https://www.positivecoach.org
The workshop begins by defining the Double-Goal Coach™ as one who strives to win and works to prepare his/her team to play at its highest level, and, at the same time, teaches life lessons (teamwork, dedication, bouncing back from mistakes, etc.) to his/her players. We explain that these are not mutually exclusive goals.Various scenarios are presented. We ask coaches to pair up to discuss how they would handle this situation. This scenario leads us into the discussion of PCA’s themes.
Principle #1 - Honoring the Game
Honoring the Game goes to the ROOTS of the matter, where we all have to RESPECT the Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and one’s Self. Coaches receive specific tools to help them introduce the concept of ROOTS to their players and parents.
Principle #2 - Redefining "Winner"
Here we talk about how the American culture is a Win-at-all-cost culture, and we have to work to shift our focus away from the scoreboard. What’s more important is a “Mastery” definition, where we care most about our players’ giving their maximum effort, continuing to learn and improve, and dealing well with mistakes when they happen. Again, we introduce specific tools (such as "flushing" mistakes, in which a coach makes the motion of flushing the toilet after a player makes a mistake, which symbolizes that the mistake is done and everybody’s moving on). Coaches can use these tools to Redefine Winner with their teams and parents.
Principle #3 - Filling the Emotional Tank
This theme talks about how players who have FULL emotional tanks will have more fun and perform better. The thought-provoking piece of this theme is that, according to research studies, coaches should achieve a 5:1 ratio of positives to negatives with their players to keep their tanks full! We talk about how coaches can use both verbal and non-verbal cues to attain this ratio in a meaningful way. We stress that coaches are still teaching when they are giving positive feedback, and we illustrate how they can effectively correct mistakes within the context of this 5:1 ratio.
Here is an article that was in the Washington Post that talks about the PCA and the positive impact it can have on players, coaches, parents and the relationships between each of them...http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/23/AR2009052301852.html
Some key points in the article:
https://www.positivecoach.org
The workshop begins by defining the Double-Goal Coach™ as one who strives to win and works to prepare his/her team to play at its highest level, and, at the same time, teaches life lessons (teamwork, dedication, bouncing back from mistakes, etc.) to his/her players. We explain that these are not mutually exclusive goals.Various scenarios are presented. We ask coaches to pair up to discuss how they would handle this situation. This scenario leads us into the discussion of PCA’s themes.
Principle #1 - Honoring the Game
Honoring the Game goes to the ROOTS of the matter, where we all have to RESPECT the Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and one’s Self. Coaches receive specific tools to help them introduce the concept of ROOTS to their players and parents.
Principle #2 - Redefining "Winner"
Here we talk about how the American culture is a Win-at-all-cost culture, and we have to work to shift our focus away from the scoreboard. What’s more important is a “Mastery” definition, where we care most about our players’ giving their maximum effort, continuing to learn and improve, and dealing well with mistakes when they happen. Again, we introduce specific tools (such as "flushing" mistakes, in which a coach makes the motion of flushing the toilet after a player makes a mistake, which symbolizes that the mistake is done and everybody’s moving on). Coaches can use these tools to Redefine Winner with their teams and parents.
Principle #3 - Filling the Emotional Tank
This theme talks about how players who have FULL emotional tanks will have more fun and perform better. The thought-provoking piece of this theme is that, according to research studies, coaches should achieve a 5:1 ratio of positives to negatives with their players to keep their tanks full! We talk about how coaches can use both verbal and non-verbal cues to attain this ratio in a meaningful way. We stress that coaches are still teaching when they are giving positive feedback, and we illustrate how they can effectively correct mistakes within the context of this 5:1 ratio.
Here is an article that was in the Washington Post that talks about the PCA and the positive impact it can have on players, coaches, parents and the relationships between each of them...http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/23/AR2009052301852.html
Some key points in the article:
"Yes. It's about FUN. Right now, they're having fun. But come Saturday, we
kind of mess things up with the scoreboard, because we want our child to do
well.""the philosophy is pretty simple: Children flourish with positive encouragement. Mistakes are okay. Doing one's best is more important than winning or losing."
"Most athletes perform better when they focus on their effort, when their coaches and parents praise them and when they all stop looking at the scoreboard."
"Kids' anxiety goes up when they focus on things they can't control, and self-confidence goes down," he said. "Focus on what you can improve. Ignore what you can't. You can't control calls. You can't control the scoreboard. But you can control effort."
"It's also a great way to learn, giving players an opportunity to experiment without fear of failure"
Here are a few ideas you can start implementing the "Double Goal" concept:
- "winner's circle"- following each game or practice, the coach leads an effort to promote positive reinforcement by each team member towards another team member by reflecting on something good that player did.
- "hard hat" award - given out by the coach to a team member at the end of each week/ game or practice to those who have demonstrated good effort, hard work and enthusiasm...
- "positive charting" - As coaches we tend to think that we add value by finding things that are done incorrectly and improving them. But it is equally important to find things that are being done correctly and to reinforce them. Positive Charting is a method for increasing the number of "right things" that your players do. It also creates a wonderful positive atmosphere in which players are more receptive to being corrected because they feel appreciated. Effective Positive Charting helps you reach the Magic 5:1 ratio, which best keeps players' Emotional Tanks full.
A few thoughts...
Rule #1: Think and act like a Champion in everything you do, on the court, off the court in the classroom and in the community.
Rule #2: Don't let your teammates or coaches down
Rule #3: Everybody cannot do everything, but everybody can do something. Find something that you are good at and do it to the best of your ability...everyday!
We cannot control a lot of things, including wins and losses. But, we can control our effort, out enthusiasm and our execution. When we focus on doing things the right way and striving for excellence in all that we do, the wins will fall in place.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Dancing with the Stars and The Boss
Last night I watched the finale of Dancing with the Stars and it was such a close race between 1st and 2nd place. Both finalists performed their best dances. But, it came down to Olympic Gold Medalist, Shawn Johnson, who received the most votes by the outside voters. It was fun to watch as her competitiveness and will to win as an athlete naturally took over...focus, preparation and determination result in success!
If you have never had the opportunity to watch The Boss, Bruce Springsteen perform live in concert, you don't know what you're missing. I had the chance to see him live for the second time, a few weeks ago in State College, PA. Whether you like his music or not, you have got to respect his passion for performing! I have never seen another performer play with so much passion, it's very inspiring! We should all strive to perform with as much passion as he does!
If you have never had the opportunity to watch The Boss, Bruce Springsteen perform live in concert, you don't know what you're missing. I had the chance to see him live for the second time, a few weeks ago in State College, PA. Whether you like his music or not, you have got to respect his passion for performing! I have never seen another performer play with so much passion, it's very inspiring! We should all strive to perform with as much passion as he does!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Tough vs. Dumb
Below is an article from Kevin Eastman, well known player development coach and an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics. The recent series between the Chi-town Bull and the Celtics made a lot of headlines, and for the first time since Jordan, Magic and Bird competed against each other, engaged fans in the NBA playoffs like it was the late 80's and early 90's all over again...passion, determination, competetitiveness and will to win, that's what the NBA playoffs were all about "back in the day"!
*****************
Tough vs. Dumb
Everyone seems to be riveted to the NBA playoffs this year, and for good reason. The games have been unbelievable — and extremely physical as well. And whenever you have a physical game, at any level, there comes a time when players have to make decisions on how physical; how tough do they want to play?
In the Chicago – Boston series, both teams have very competitive players, staffs, and organizations. Both teams want to win so badly. Both teams are pretty evenly matched. So, without a doubt, emotion enters the equation. But it is important that it be intelligent and positive emotion. It is positive emotion that helps your team get over the hump. It can’t be bravado emotion that only registers with those who don’t understand the game anyway.
Both teams have to make sure that they make tough plays and not dumb plays. Tough plays are plays that are made of hustle and grit; often times they don’t even require skill. But they are definitely within the rules. Dumb plays are those made doing something that looks tough but gets your team nowhere and often times hurts your team. Players need to understand this if they are going to be champions. Championship teams make sure they protect their turf but they do so in an intelligent, disciplined, and tough way!
Truth be told, players today have to understand that in a run for a championship, often times the tough play is the one where you don’t retaliate to something done by the other team. Instead, you beat them on the scoreboard.
*****************
Tough vs. Dumb
Everyone seems to be riveted to the NBA playoffs this year, and for good reason. The games have been unbelievable — and extremely physical as well. And whenever you have a physical game, at any level, there comes a time when players have to make decisions on how physical; how tough do they want to play?
In the Chicago – Boston series, both teams have very competitive players, staffs, and organizations. Both teams want to win so badly. Both teams are pretty evenly matched. So, without a doubt, emotion enters the equation. But it is important that it be intelligent and positive emotion. It is positive emotion that helps your team get over the hump. It can’t be bravado emotion that only registers with those who don’t understand the game anyway.
Both teams have to make sure that they make tough plays and not dumb plays. Tough plays are plays that are made of hustle and grit; often times they don’t even require skill. But they are definitely within the rules. Dumb plays are those made doing something that looks tough but gets your team nowhere and often times hurts your team. Players need to understand this if they are going to be champions. Championship teams make sure they protect their turf but they do so in an intelligent, disciplined, and tough way!
Truth be told, players today have to understand that in a run for a championship, often times the tough play is the one where you don’t retaliate to something done by the other team. Instead, you beat them on the scoreboard.
What I love about this series is that both the Celtics and the Bulls areThe toughness comes in from the discipline that champions have to be
bigger and
smarter than the moment.
trying extremely hard to make the tough, intelligent plays without giving up any
edge or turf. And they are clearly doing so in a very emotional, hard-fought
series! I wish all of you had a chance to be down there on that floor
experiencing the effort, the determination, the sweat, the diving, the
physicality, and the will to succeed. I can’t even begin to describe it in
words. It’s why this is the greatest game there is!
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