- Respect the game
- Respect the officials
- Respect the coaches
- Respect your opponent
- Respect your teammates
- Respect the facility
- Respect the fans
It matters who we are and who we are not. I vividly remember my twins' coach taking a girl out of a game and instructing, "that is not how we play." We need to give warm, demanding, conditional love to our players.
We should never have a reputation for dirty play (cheap shots, illegal screens, intentional hard fouls). We play hard but don't play "gorilla ball" (apologies to gorillas). We shouldn't be looking to score "one more" in the waning seconds of the game, when we are in "no shot mode." We shouldn't be showboating or dancing after a good play. Our play - hard, smart, and unselfish - should define our ethos to everyone but especially to ourselves.
We should fully engage supporting our teammates and knowing what we are doing and what the opposition is trying to do. We should recognize a teammate for a good pass or a good play with a simple "point" at them. We should offer to help up both our and opposing teammates after a fall.
The bench shouldn't officiate the game. Playing it is hard enough. Hand the ball to the official and never throw the ball to a distant official to 'show up' the nearby official.
Teams function best when coaches respect players, coaches respect each other, and players respect coaches and each other. Greet your teammates going on and coming off the floor. Be prepared to sit next to the coach for further instruction, counseling, or correction. If you are dissatisfied with your role, ask the coach what you can specifically do to change it. "Do more to become more and become more to do more."
You respect your teammates when you support them, encourage them, motivate them, and work hard to make each other your best. "Never criticize a teammate."
Respect the facility by leaving it in BETTER condition than when you found it. Nobody wants to play in a swamp, a junkyard, or a sticky mess of gum.
Your every action identifies who you are. Take pride in playing the game right and treating everyone in the gym properly. When you work daily to become a better version of yourself, you will become the best player you can become.
