Basketball maven Kevin Eastman teaches, "KNOW YOUR NOS." For starters, we can include no middle, no direct drives, no easy baskets, no putbacks, no uncontested shots, no bad fouls. Ben Franklin counsels, "well done is better than well said."
But what ABSOLUTES front your program, the stuff of dreams and DNA?
1. Family matters. Family comes first. Grandma's birthday deserves your attention. Family vacations take priority over a middle school holiday tournament.
2. Take care of business. You owe me nothing. You owe yourself your best, Academic Excellence. Our players excel in the classroom. Smart players make smarter plays. Learn how to study, to read better, to compete at the highest level.
3. Cross The Red Line. Urban Meyer talks about the 'red line' in Above the Line. When his Ohio State players cross that line onto the practice field, they give their best, every play. "A to B, 4 to 6." You go from point A to point B, during the play usually lasting 4 to 6 seconds. Dean Smith remarked, "I don't coach effort; I coach execution." Effort is a given, unspoken.
4. Serve. Serve your family. Serve your school. Serve your community. Serve your teammates. Basketball is sharing and the best players make teammates better, on and off the court.
Greenleaf's Principles of Servant Leadership extend throughout your lives. Selfishness is a tawdry cloak that we won't wear.
5. Be a great teammate. The Navy SEALS have an aphorism, "two is one, and one is none." Imagine an imaginary rope tethering you to your teammates. Drag your teammates to a higher level, never down. Everyone can be a great teammate.
6. Never give up. We won't always win. Adversity is our companion on life's journey. But our DNA doesn't include quitting. Keep scrapping, keep battling and good things happen.
If someone asks, what we do, answer "we coach life."
Lagniappe:
Celtics action, "UCLA Slip".
