You have to play basketball. Joy radiates energy and creativity. Seek, see, and feel the joy...or not. Are your favorite basketball people energy givers or energy vampires?
Joy doesn't need fancy footwear, Nike socks, and shooting sleeves.
Princeton coach Pete Carril shared, "Light bulbs, that's what I call them. Light bulbs. There's an intangible feeling a coach and a player have that you can delight in. When Armond Hill was at Princeton and he'd go up and down the court in warmups, that's excited me. Frank Sowinski walked onto the court in practice. I could be dead tired: I saw him, I felt good. Billy Omeltchenko. Craig Robinson. I call them light bulbs. They walk on the floor, the light goes on."
What excites you? What excites the kids?
What brings the joy? Teammates having moments. Dribble tag or capture the flag can bring joy. Joy flows from effort and execution - the extra pass, defensive anticipation, the well-timed block, "pulling the chair," and acknowledging the passer. Sometimes seeing the last reserve succeed in her minutes or getting a hug from grandparents.
Humor and parody bring joy.
But that doesn't mean it wasn't work, too. Carril said, "Are you kidding me??? FUN???? Do you have any idea how hard this kid has worked here for 4 years. It's HARD WORK, NOT FUN!!!"
Give thanks for our chance to experience the game. Share the joy.
Lagniappe: Intangibles
- Ask questions. Learn something. Don't be negative.
- Build players who can play in any system.
- Set individual and team goals.
- You can't take only the good and not the bad.
- Be efficient. Tempo is a common theme.
Lagniappe 2: 5 Minutes via Tom Peters and In Search of Excellence
