What would our best day look like? What elements belong and are optional? How can we get there? And then what?
Our best day brackets our impact on others and personal growth (revisit PERMA - above). "Share something great."
Coaching affords us a way to do something for others and for ourselves. Writing shares our perspective and scaffolds a platform to give and to get feedback.
Coaches work on the upper 60 percent of Maslow's hierarchy of needs - belonging, believing, and becoming. Invest authentic praise on players, "I believe in you." Adolescence is hard; lift the burdens, don't add them.
Essential. Winning the morning gives us a shot at winning the day. MasterClass, blogging, and study (continuing education) are three helpful starters. Aspire to inspire. Energize. We're obligated to energize practice, even when we're not at our best. Energy is contagious. Finish each day with gratitude (I fall short on this).
Desirable. Exercise, mindfulness, and contemplation add depth to our daily mix. Do we teach restraint and live excess? Do we preach justice and live as dictator? Is our version of transparency something else?
Build better habits by being specific. Opening my laptop in the morning triggers MasterClass study.
And then what? Tracking. "Winners are trackers." Anson Dorrance (UNC Soccer) and Kirby Schepp (Manitoba basketball) run highly competitive practice tracking everything. Schepp even awards recognition for the best practice player each season.
We'll never be perfect and that doesn't mean winning every game. Helping players to belong, believe, and become matters.
Lagniappe: Does a strong team have to compromise on academics? Swarthmore says no.
Lagniappe 2: Ball reversal.
Last night we worked on ball reversal. We underutilize the whole court. Offense must complete at least three passes and ball reversal before shooting.